Central High School’s varsity girls volleyball team is dominated by upperclassmen for the 2018 season, but they are adjusting to the changes that come with a new coach.

Former Head Coach Lisa Word resigned due to personal reasons earlier this year, and Central Athletic Director Wallace Owen approached Alan Hershberger, who said he was excited for the opportunity.

“I had previously been the varsity head coach at Buckingham County High School for two years while still attending Longwood University,” Hershberger said. “For the past two years, I have been organizing and running a recreational youth volleyball league in Farmville during the summer.”

He leads a Lady Chargers team that lost some key players from last year due to graduation, including setter Brittany Tomlinson and outside hitter Kaylee Williams.

The 2018 Central squad is made up of five seniors, four juniors and one sophomore.

“It can be difficult to make an easy adjustment to a new coach and new rotations,” Hershberger said, noting that some new players are trying to fill the important setter position. “However, we have some athletes on the team, and I feel like we could finish in the middle or possibly even top half of the district.”

The coach said the team’s two captains are senior outside hitter Emma Hart and senior middle hitter Samantha Bishop.