The Smithville volleyball team has new life this year, despite the loss of several key seniors.
Kimberly Paisley, a 2001 graduate of Wimberley High School, comes to Smithville from Alice High School with the intention of shaking things up and making the Lady Tigers into a winner.
Paisley was part of the 1999 state championship team at Wimberly.
“The past doesn’t matter anymore,” Paisley said. “What matters is the future, and this season, I will make sure we won’t go down without a fight.”
The Lady Tigers have had a tough ride the last few seasons and have seen their share of growing pains with their new coach, going 2-7 so far in Paisley’s first year as head coach.
Another hurdle facing the new coach is the fact that she is the third coach in as many years for the Lady Tigers.
Still. Paisley stays positive and has big plans for the future.
She has been around sports all of her life, playing volleyball, basketball and running track during high school. Her love of kids and competition led her to receive a degree in kinesiology and minor in biology at A&M Kingsville, where she graduated from in 2006.
“I enjoy being around kids and it feels so good to see them improve and succeed in whatever they do,” Paisley said.
After finishing college, Paisley coached for four years at Alice, where she also served as an assistant track and field coach as well as coaching the  junior varsity girls  basketball team.
Paisley said that after a while, she wanted to move closer to home to be near her parents, which is what brought her to Smithville.
“This is a great area – it’s so pretty up here,” she said. “So far, I’m adjusting very well and the girls seem to be getting more comfortable with me.”
Paisley said the varsity team is working really hard to overcome previous years’ obstacles, which includes placing last in its district in each of the past two years.
However, Paisley is already seeing some talent in her team.
When asked what they are going to do about height this season, she said they will be relying on 6-foot-2 outside hitter Madison Hannusch, along with setter Colline Morrell.
“Colline is one of our many strengths,” Paisley said. “She plays bigger than what she is.”
She said the girls need to work on being more aggressive so some of the tough district teams, like Caldwell, will feel like they have to prepare for them.
“I definitely want to do better in district and making it to the playoffs would be awesome,” Paisley said. “Going from winning (two) district games to making it to the playoffs would definitely be an improvement.”
Smithville will host Lexington Friday and will open District 23-3A play on Friday, Sept. 24 against La Grange at home.