Xavier volleyball has always been a dominant program. They have a long list of state championship titles and are always high up in the rankings. The Gators are currently sitting at No. 2.

Xavier has a great leader in their coach -- Lamar Renee-Bryant.

Bryant has been with the Gators since 2013, when she led Xavier to a title that same year.

Bryant started playing volleyball in 7th grade. “I fell in love with it right away,” Bryant said.

Volleyball has always been important to Bryant. She started coaching when she was a sophomore in college for a club team.

“I just found joy sharing the love of the game with the girls,” Bryant said. “I never thought I was going to be a coach as far as a full-time job, but I’m so happy I am.”

Bryant’s favorite thing about coaching is developing character for young women.

“They are the best resource for themselves,” Bryant said. “Volleyball and team sports just go so far in life.”

Bryant has been selected as Coach of the Year twice. She has a great knowledge for the game and can teach her players many things.

“Your team is only as good as your weakest link,” Bryant said. She wants her other players to learn to care for each other and play as a team.

Bryant also mentioned a lot of her players aspire to be collegiate athletes. She tells her players they need to know where they are to get to where they want to go. “You need to make sure you’re studying the game and continuing to be a student of the game,” she said.

Xavier won the state title last season and is looking to repeat this year. This team is younger but understands what it takes to be like the Xavier teams that have come before them.

Xavier has dominated teams this season but still is held to a higher standard. For example, earlier this season the Coyyotes defeated Mesa (13-3) in four sets.

Sophomore Serena Turner said it wasn’t their strongest game.

“It was a good win but wasn’t our strongest, and we’ll come prepared for our next game,” Turner said.

That just shows the high standard Coach Bryant demands.

Xavier’s goal is to win another state championship.

“It really starts with our focus,” Bryant said.

Even if Xavier does not make it to the championship this year the season would not be a failure.

“To play is to fail,” Bryant said. “We have to know we gave it our best effort and if that gives us a trophy, fantastic, but if it gives you a lesson to improve on for next season, that’s ok too.”

The Gators are a close team. Bryant starts off practice by getting to know how each player’s day has been.

“We start each day at practice by going around and each player saying the high and low of their day,” Bryant said. “The goal is that the girls realize that life is pretty good and any obstacle in life is not that big.” 

By going around and each player sharing with their teammates what’s going on in their lives, that creates a bond to overcome obstacles together.

That is a great mentality to have for a great volleyball team. They go into their games understanding that to get to their end goal they’ll have to overcome these obstacles as a team.

The team loves playing for Bryant and appreciates the knowledge she brings to the game.

Ronna Layne, who is on the athletics staff for Xavier, also notices the knowledge Bryant brings to the team.

“She has a good disposition on how to coach the girls,” Layne said. “She has those good coach qualities to get the best out of her players”

“She shows our mission here at Xavier with leading by example,” Layne said.