Spartans seniors hoping to go out on top

The seniors on the Mountain Brook High School volleyball team have been a part of championships and they’ve got the rings to prove it.

The Spartans have won consecutive state titles, in Class 7A in 2019 and as a 6A member last fall.

But Hannah Hitson, Greer Golden, Alexandra Carlson and Lucy Redden are putting extra emphasis on this season. This is their final year to wear a Mountain Brook jersey and it is their opportunity to be the primary leaders of the team.

The group of four is embracing that role.

“As we’ve grown up, there’s always been those seniors that we really looked up to,” Carlson said. “Now, we’re in that position, which is really exciting.”

They realize the leadership factor is a real thing and not something that can be faked on a daily basis.

“You have to lead by example,” Golden said. “You can’t talk the talk and not walk the walk.”

“What we do really does set the tone in the gym,” Hitson added. “If we’re having a bad day, or even if we’ve had a hard day outside of volleyball, we can’t let that affect how we play volleyball on the court, because it will trickle throughout the team and can affect the whole ton of practice.”

Golden has been a starter on the varsity team since she was a freshman as a middle blocker, while Hitson has contributed for a few years as well as a middle. Hitson has played several positions in club ball throughout her career, but is moving to outside hitter for the Spartans this year.

Redden is an outside hitter and Carlson is a libero and both are now playing their most significant on-court roles. Even though Redden and Carlson have not been primary starters up until this point, but they both realize they played significant roles on last year’s championship team.

The four of them play four distinct positions now and are four of the top players on the team.

“It’s unique with us, because this year, we all hold a pretty big role,” Redden said. “It’ll be really exciting to be a leader in a starting position and being the oldest.”

In high school volleyball, Mountain Brook has a similar effect to University of Alabama football or the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs. No matter a team’s situation, it brings its top level to play against the Spartans.

“There’s something special about Mountain Brook, because when people come to play us, they always bring their best,” Hitson said.

The seniors said things have gone well in the coaching transition. Vickie Nichols retired following last year, with Mattie Gardner ascending from assistant coach to head coach.

“She’s always been a major part of the coaching staff,” Hitson said. “There have been some changes for sure and they’ve been positive.”

Despite being two-time reigning state champs, Mountain Brook was not the preseason favorite in 6A heading into this season. Carlson said “we all have something to prove” and Golden said it has lit a fire under the team to reach its potential this season.

That will not be an easy thing, either, as the Spartans play in one of the state’s toughest areas. Homewood, Chelsea and Briarwood are all in Area 9 as well. The Patriots were the top-ranked team in 6A entering the season, Chelsea has a strong program and Briarwood is improving.

But the goal is pretty simple for their final season with the Spartans.

“I want to win,” Golden said.