The trajectory of Bourbon High School’s (BHS) volleyball team is heading in the winning direction after compiling back-to-back seasons with a record over .500 under head coach Kelli Bailey. Bourbon finished with 31 victories over the last two years after winning 12 matches in total in Bailey’s first three seasons.

Bailey, a 2009 graduate of Bourbon High School, enters her sixth year at the helm of the Lady Warhawks. She said that started talking about changing the culture of the sports programs at BHS with her then boyfriend, Marcus Bailey, now her husband and Bourbon’s boys’ golf coach, while the couple was still in high school.

“We would talk about our dreams in our English class and I remember saying, ‘I want to come back here and change how things are with our sports programs,’” Bailey said.

“People used to want Bourbon on their schedules because they knew that they could beat us. I wanted to change that narrative and change the culture of sports here overall.”

Bailey turned her goals into reality over time and said that the culture in the program has shifted over the past few years into a positive one.

“We’ve continued to add to this culture year after year and having that mentality that we can do this has really helped,” Bailey said. “We’re going to have some bad days, but we’re going to have a lot of good days, too.”

Bailey credits some of her team’s belief this season to their experience last year as ball shaggers during the Missouri High School State Tournament.

“We got to see some of the top teams and players in our class last season at the State Tournament and our girls looked at each other and said we can do this.”

Lady Warhawks lost last year’s senior leaders Kaitlyn King and Kaylee Enke to graduation and will look to collectively replace their production.

Enke was named second team all-district for schools in Class 2 District 6, and was a frontcourt force for the Lady Warhawks. She led the team in kills per set, hitting percentage, total blocks and kills. She tallied 2.4 kills per set, a 0.200 hitting percentage, 22 blocks and 149 kills. King led the team in assists as the Lady Warhawks’ primary setter.

Bailey said that senior Allie Sutton and junior Lauryn Hercules are the team’s captains and have emerged as leaders of this year’s squad.

“Those two (Sutton and Hercules) are always being vocal to the team and are always a positive light on the court,” Bailey said.

“And honestly, those are two people that are going to tell you how it is and in volleyball you don’t have a lot of time so that kind of accountability is needed,”

Hercules was named the team’s defensive player of the year at Bourbon High School’s athletic banquet in May after leading the Lady Hawks in digs per set, digs, service aces, aces per set and receptions during her sophomore season.

Sutton will have an expanded role on the court for Bourbon’s front line and has stood out to Bailey for her tutelage of the team’s younger players.

“I’ve noticed Allie (Sutton) pulling many of the younger players to the side and giving them a confidence boost, which has really helped,” Bailey said.

Bailey added that a goal for her team is to stay positive mentally throughout the ups and downs of the season.

“Last year, we competed well, however there were some games that were pretty tough. A lot of the players took that stress home with them and this year, I really want the girls to enjoy the game,” Bailey said.

The Lady Warhawks will open the season at home at 5 p.m. on Aug. 28 with a matchup against Valley Park.

Bourbon will return to action the following morning on Aug. 29, where they will host the Bourbon Round Robin Tournament and compete against Plato, Laquey and St. James. The Lady Hawks are scheduled to play at 9 a.m. in St. James, 10:30 a.m. in Plato and 12 p.m. in Laquey. The third place game of the tournament is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. with a 2:30 p.m. championship game.