By Kyle LoJacono
Marla Oliver was recently named the new volleyball coach at Academy at the Lakes and has a goal of bring a winning tradition to the Wildcats program.

The challenge is large for Oliver, as the academy is seeking its first playoff appearance and is coming off a 2-12 season.
“This is a great school and is the reason why I accepted the challenge,” Oliver said. “I know that I have a support system that will help me and pick me up when I fall down.”
Coaching is nothing new to her, having spent more than 20 years coaching basketball and softball from elementary school to the college level, but this is her first time leading a volleyball program.
“I accepted the challenge,” Oliver said. “I have many years of coaching experience in other sports and figured that it wouldn’t be much different. Well, I was wrong. Volleyball is definitely a sport in its own category.”
Oliver said she did a lot of research on how to lead a successful volleyball program during the last few weeks.

Either Oliver is a quick study or she has a natural gift to coach volleyball, because the Wildcats won their first match of the year at home against Hernando Christian Academy, a district opponent, on Aug. 30 in four sets 19-25, 25-22, 25-21, 25-18.
“After we lost the first set Tuesday night, the competitiveness came out in me,” Oliver said. “Now I’m on a mission to get the girls better day by day so we can compete with anyone.”
The academy made it two wins in a row by defeating Brooks-DeBartolo Collegiate 25-6, 25-10, 25-3 on Sept. 8.
Oliver and her family moved to the area from Michigan a year ago. Academy athletic director Tom Haslam said she started working as a part-time substitute teacher during last school year.
“We offered her a full-time physical education position at the end of the year,” Haslam said. “She had a four-month audition you could say, and we really enjoyed what we saw from her. We liked her personality, she has great energy and knows how to coach. The girls really respond to her.”
Oliver said her key players will include senior outside hitter Mary Power, senior outside hitter and setter Alexis Holler and junior setter Rachel Allen.
“(Mary) is a true leader and great motivator,” Oliver said. “Alexis knows the game very well and is athletic. Rachel is a great setter and knows when and where to be at all times. She is another great leader on the court.”
Marla said there are also a lot of players who haven’t played the sport before, but are “working hard and catching on quickly.”
Volleyball may be new to Marla, but she does have a familiar face in the Wildcats lineup. Her daughter Amelia is a senior outside hitter and defensive specialist.
Marla is also the middle school athletic coordinator at the academy. Haslam said she will coach middle school girls basketball in the winter.
“I played college basketball, so that will be a little more familiar to me,” Marla said.
The academy plays in Class 2A-District 8 with Bayshore Christian, Cambridge, Citrus Park Christian, Hernando Christian and Tampa Bay Christian. The 2A-8 tournament is Oct. 24-27 at Citrus Park.
The Wildcats host Cambridge Christian on Tuesday, Sept. 13 at 6 p.m.
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