Menu
They're kinda hot
No doubt about it: It's going to be a hot time in the FSHS gymnasium Saturday morning.
We're talking temperature here as the Tigers have been working out in a hot, humid gymnasium the past two weeks. It's not improbable that it's been at least 90 degrees during some practices.
With Fort Scott hosting a four-team non-league quadrangular Saturday morning, the Tigers will without a doubt have the ultimate home-court advantage.
"By the time we finish warm ups, we won't feel that bad," new head coach Carol Bingesser said after practice Thursday evening. "Those other teams are going to feel after 15 minutes like we do after 6:30 every night."
The Tigers are also looking to get hot in another sense Saturday, looking to bring a new winning spirit after two seasons in which they won a total of six matches. Bingesser has been working on boosting the confidence of her players and one could already notice a difference in watching practice Thursday.
"I'm excited about the girls," Bingesser said. "They have worked very hard. That started this summer because I started a summer league here. All my varsity girls played here. We had our camp and seven of the varsity girls went to a camp together. They've worked hard over the summer so they'd be ready to start the season. So it wasn't as if we walked in cold on the first day of practice. The stuff we've done over the summer will help us a lot."
The Tigers were 4-28 last season. They started 3-3 before dropping 18 straight matches. However, the way they were working out Thursday was the way a team with a winning attitude works out, not giving a darn about the heat and hustling to get things done.
"I think we'll surprise a lot of people," Bingesser says. "I think the talent was always here. I think now, they feel like they're capable of doing a lot of things. Ninety percent of this has been getting them to believe in themselves and I think they do."
The Tigers will get a test with Girard, which has become an area power over the past few season, arch rival Pittsburg and improving Columbus in Saturday's quadrangular. The quad begins at 10 a.m.
Bingesser is a 1978 Fort Scott High School graduate -- if you remember her playing days, you knew her as Carol Martens. She returned to Fort Scott last year and coached volleyball and boys' and girls' basketball at Fort Scott Middle School, where she teaches sixth-grade science.
She has coached at various levels for 20 years, starting her career coaching three sports at the junior high in the Ell-Saline district near Salina. She's been a coach of some sport -- volleyball, basketball or track -- at small Class 1A schools all the way up to Class 4A.
After graduating from FSHS, Bingesser attended Fort Scott Community College and then went to Kansas Wesleyan University in Salina, where she played three sports her first year before deciding to concentrate on basketball.
"I've always loved sports," Bingesser said. "I've always loved to play. And I enjoy teaching. I'm definitely not in it for the money. It's for the love of the game."
The Tigers will have four seniors leading the way this season. Hannah Hawkins and Ashley Middleton will be starters. Hawkins will play the left side and Middleton on the right. Ashley Cavin can also play right side and Casey Rickerson will be one of the setters in Bingesser's 6-2 offense (The "2" means two setters are always on the floor).
"All four of my seniors have really stepped up and have done a good job," Bingesser said. "Hannah's done a great job being a good leader and that's a plus. Casey is also doing a good job of being a floor leader."
Six juniors and a sophomore round out the varsity squad. Brittany Bingesser, Carol's daughter, will be the starting setter while Annie Gladbach and Kelli Davis start as middle hitters. Shelby Nafzger will start as the other left-side hitter and Monica Dikeman will be the libero.
Kori Page Reinbolt returns after sitting out last season while finishing rehabilitation on her knee. Elise Nation is the reserve at libero while Sammi Therwanger, the sophomore, backs up the middle hitters.
Bingesser and Gladbach played varsity as sophomores and seem to have developed a rapport as setter and hitter.
"Brittany has a very good floor sense," Bingesser said. "It's like having another coach out there. Annie is a just a force. She's hitting the ball strong and hard. She has a lot of confidence right now.
"They work really well together. Some it is because they are good friends but they have a second sense with each other. Annie will be our go-to girl, the one we're looking to score some points for us."
Bingesser expects defending Southeast Kansas League champion Pittsburg to remain strong as well as Iola, Chanute and Labette County, which all tied for second last season.
"We'll kind of find out on Saturday," Bingesser said. "Those (Pittsburg, Girard and Columbus) are three pretty strong teams."
NOTES -- Liberos will be allowed to serve this season in a rule change that makes the position more similar to what it is in college. However, the back-row restrictions still remain, so the libero will still need to wear her differently-colored jersey to make her easier for the official to identify....
2007 FORT SCOTT HIGH SCHOOL
VOLLEYBALL
Varsity
* -- Southeast Kansas League match.
First match begins at 5 p.m. unless noted.
Saturday...COLUMBUS, GIRARD AND PITTSBURG, 10 a.m.
Aug. 28....at Pittsburg Colgan with Chanute, 5:30
Sept. 8....at Erie with Parsons, 9 a.m.
Sept. 13...at Louisburg with Osawatomie and Prairie View
Sept. 20...at Coffeyville with Parsons
Sept. 22...at Louisburg Tourn., 9 a.m.
Sept. 27...INDEPENDENCE AND LABETTE COUNTY*
Sept. 29...at Ottawa Tournament, 8 a.m.
Oct. 4.....at Columbus with Pittsburg*
Oct. 11....at Iola with Chanute*
Oct. 13....at Anderson County Tourn., 9 a.m.
Junior Varsity
Aug. 28....at Independence with Columbus and Iola
Sept. 11...at Prairie View with Louisburg and Osawatomie
Sept. 15...SOUTHEAST KANSAS LEAGUE JV TOURNAMENT, 9 a.m.
Sept. 20...at Coffeyville with Parsons
Sept. 22...at Independence Tourn., 9 a.m.
Sept. 27...INDEPENDENCE AND LABETTE COUNTY
Oct. 1.....at Pittsburg with Independence and Labette County
Oct. 4.....at Columbus with Pittsburg
Oct. 6.....at Blue Valley North Tourn., 9 a.m.
Oct. 11....at Iola with Chanute
Freshmen
Aug. 30....COLUMBUS, JAYHAWK-LINN AND PARSONS
Sept. 4....at Iola with Chanute and Coffeyville
Sept. 8....at Pittsburg Tournament, 9 a.m.
Sept. 13...at Pittsburg with Chanute and Labette County
Sept. 18...CHANUTE, IOLA AND INDEPENDENCE
Sept. 24...COLUMBUS, JAYHAWK-LINN AND LOUISBURG
Sept. 25...at Chanute with Coffeyville and Parsons
Sept. 29...at Fredonia Tournament, 9 a.m.
Oct. 2.....at Labette County with Independence and Parsons
Oct. 8.....at Labette County with Parsons