Editor’s note: This is the first part of a summer series revisiting the best of “The Prep Zone” sports show at locally owned Sonic Drive-In of Gainesville, featuring interviews with area coaches and players with host Mike Ridaught from the 2024-25 seasons.
The Gainesville High volleyball team and first-year head coach Jerica Carter-Mitchell, the 2024 Bosshardt Realty Big School Coach of the Year, joined Mainstreet Daily News Sports Director Mike Ridaught on his weekly show on Sep. 11, 2024.
The Hurricanes (15-9) won their second straight district title. GHS, which played a very difficult regular season schedule, had an easy win against Leesburg in the district semifinals, followed by a sweep of Lecanto in the 5A-District 5 championship game to earn the No. 1 seed in 5A-Region 2.
Below are excerpts from the Sep. 11 interview — edited for length and clarity — of The Prep Zone’s interview. You can listen to the full conversation, which is archived online at www.mainstreetdailynews.com/prep-zone.
Q: How have things gone for you so far in your first year?
Coach Jerica Carter-Mitchell: I didn’t really come in with a lot of expectations, just knowing that [we] had three D-I seniors last year, and then our starting setter (Chloe Petrik) tore her ACL in Vegas at Nationals. That would have been our senior starting all-around setter, so just knowing that it is a rebuilding year, even though they’re really athletic and still really skilled, still mentally, you know, it’s a rebuilding year…they are surprising me. Maybe I should just cut out that it’s a rebuilding year because they’re filling in those roles very well.
Q: Let’s go back to your day when you played for the Hurricanes under Cindy Boulware, a legendary coach. You got to the final four all four years you were there and won back-to-back state championships. Talk about your playing days at GHS.
Coach Jerica Carter-Mitchell: Coach B had a great culture before I stepped foot onto GHS. They were state champions the year before I got there with Taylor Williams and my best friend, Michelle Stalbaum (2003 Miss Volleyball), she was a freshman, and she came in at the state championships when one of their seniors went down with a hurt ankle, so I was there actually because my mom was a coach so I watched that and I watched them win. When you watch the team you’re about to join win state, you know that that is the expectation. And that was the expectation every year is you win districts, you win regionals, and you get to state.
Q: What are some of the things that you feel like you learned from her (Coach B)?
Coach Jerica Carter-Mitchell: I learned a lot of discipline from her and Coach Reavis when he was here with us. Two great coaches together. But just holding standards, high standards, whether it’s on the court, off the court, just behavior in general, like having morals and holding the volleyball team to higher standards than everybody else at the school.
Q: GHS has been really good with a couple of 20-win seasons, but you guys lost some key players, so what do you think about this year’s team?
Nicole Ellis (SR): I think we’re still trying to build a connection because there’s a lot of new players coming on the varsity team, so we’re still trying to find the chemistry there, but it’s been working out.
Q: What’s it like having your cousin (Taylor Ellis) on the team?
Nicole Ellis (SR): It’s definitely very fun. We joke around a lot, and she helps me if I need to hit a certain shot or something like that. And you know, she’s really helpful. It’s been fun having her around.
Q: Tough loss with Petrik going down with the injury. How has that changed things this year?
Rowan Kage (JR): Yeah, I think it definitely was a struggle because me and Charlotte Judge had to step up and we’ve never set before in games, like it was really challenging, but I think we’re growing into the roles and we’re getting more comfortable and our team has been so supportive, and they’ve definitely helped us through this.
Q: Talk about how tough it’s been to lose Chloe for the season due to an injury.
Charlotte Judge (SO): It’s definitely been hard, especially having our hitters adjust to two different setters that they’ve never had to hit off before. But I think our connection is growing and it’s going to continue to, and so far it’s going well.
Q: What’s something that you like about Coach Carter-Mitchell?
Charlotte Judge (SO): I love how encouraging she is. She just keeps very calm during a game, which is very helpful to us because if we’re frantic, there’s not much we can do while we’re playing. But as somebody who is calm and collected, it’s really helpful to play our game.
Q: Does it help you personally knowing that she’s been a part of a couple of state championships and four Final Fours?
Charlotte Judge (SO): It does. I think it’s really important for the coach to know the culture of the school and also know how to play the game. That’s something you really need from the coach.