Spartans ready for another championship run

It was one of those practices.

A volleyball drill that should take five or 10 minutes had stretched out to over an hour. You name it, it went wrong.

Frustrating to go through, brutal to watch.

But Mountain Brook coach Haven O’Quinn watched her girls. No bickering. No finger-pointing. No rolling of eyes. 

And when practice was over, the girls were talking and laughing and wanting to stay and hang with their coach. 

There was some serious bonding going on in the face of adversity at this early preseason practice. Maybe that comes from being the defending Class 7A state champions. Or maybe that’s how you come to be Class 7A state champs.

The state’s reigning Gatorade Player of the Year, the Class 7A tourney Most Valuable Player and the unquestioned top player in the state entering the season shared a little about what makes the Spartans special.

 “When I go to practice, it’s fun,” Sara Carr said. “When you come to practice, it’s like you’re coming to practice with your 11 best friends. Playing with all those girls I’ve gotten to know over the past few years, it’s amazing.”

The Spartans have solid parts to build around. Besides Carr, senior setter Sara Chandler Mitchell was an all-tourney selection. Payton Selman, who returned from an injury last year in time to add another postseason weapon, is also back for her senior season as outside hitter. Besides those three seniors, six others return, with a few newcomers in the bunch. Emmy Kilgore, Caroline Davies, Ellie Ritter, Victoria Morris, Mimi Meadows, Sydney Carlson and Ellie Gorman are expected to play key roles in 2015.

Gone is libero Julia Smith, who was without a doubt the best defensive specialist in the state.

 “It’s a huge loss,” O’Quinn said. “I give her a lot of credit for putting our program on the map. And she was a huge reason (for their success) not only as the best libero in the state but as a phenomenal leader.”

But she’s excited about her options at the defensive specialist spot. 

 “Libby Grace Gann and Lacey Jeffcoat are freakin’ good,” O’Quinn said. “My problem right now is I don’t know who it’s going to be, and that’s a good problem to have. I have two liberos — not just two defensive players I have to turn into a libero. I’ve got two girls I want out there for six defensive rotations, and I have to pick one.”

But Carr is the key. O’Quinn doesn’t deny that she’s a “once-in-a-lifetime player.” Carr racked up 648 kills last season and holds the school record with 1,434 kills entering her senior year. 

What drives Carr? 

 “She is so self-motivated,” O’Quinn said. “I think she was born with it. You can’t coach that. I think she’s a good player who has gotten all these accolades and honors because of everything she brings to the table — the way she competes and the way that she works and her self-motivation. There are players out there — more athletic, taller, maybe a better volleyball player — but if Sara goes up against them, Sara’s going to win. She’s just special.”

Carr said she strives for perfection, and the Emory commitment said she knows she can get better at everything. “Every pass can be better than it was, every hit can be harder than it was. I’m always competing with myself to be the best I can be.”

Her coach said Carr’s the definition of a true six-rotation player, able to play any position and be the best at it.

 “It’s really exciting to have a player like that,” O’Quinn said. “When she rotates up to the front row, I’m like, ‘Yes, Sara’s up, all right, let’s go!’ And then she rotates to the back, it’s the exact same thing, ‘I’ve got her serve and I’ve got our best defender back there.’ She’s really great at every skill she has to do.”

Carr said she just has a passion for volleyball.

“My love for the sport has just made me want to get better,” she said. “I’m very competitive when it comes to just anything. Any chance I get to play volleyball, it’s just fun.”

Even after one of those practices?

 “It really is. It’s not easy, it’s hard, but it’s fun.”