Published: August 12, 2008 11:47 am            

Protecting the name

When kids are young they often talk about what they want to be when they grow up.

For young girls in the Cleburne area, more often than not the answer is “A Cleburne Lady Jacket.”

Cleburne head volleyball coach Floyd Rogers, who recently conducted a camp for middle school players at Smith Middle School, said having a good turnout at camps in the area is vital to the success of his high school programs.

“It starts at a young age,” Rogers said. “At the camps, they see their older sisters, their friends and their family members being a part of that and they want to be a part of that. I think that’s a good selling point for us. If we can keep kids believing in that, I see a bright future for the volleyball program.”

The Lady Jackets will take part in a couple of scrimmages over the weekend as Rogers continues to formulate the roster.

Cleburne travels to Azle for a 3 p.m. scrimmage today and then heads to Birdville for a scrimmage that begins at 9 a.m. Saturday.

Cleburne athletic director Phil Young often talks about what it means to be a Cleburne Yellow Jacket and the rest of the coaching staff has followed suit.

Rogers came to Cleburne 10 years ago and has been the head coach for the past seven seasons.

He said his teams have won district championships, made several playoff appearances and had solid seasons over the years.

That’s what the incoming players have heard from Rogers this week in practice and will continue to hear throughout the season.

Rogers wants them to see the big picture and play for the program, not just themselves, because maintaining the tradition that previous teams have set is important to the coaching staff and the players.

“That’s something I bring up just about daily,” Rogers said. “If not, then three or four times a week. I base a lot on tradition, because playing for that is much bigger than playing for ourselves. That’s what I think the key is. Playing for the people who set the standard is way more important than playing for ourselves and the limelight we get.”

        

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