Changes abound at Troy City Schools, and they don’t stop at Charles Henderson High School. Just a few steps down George Wallace Drive, a group of young ladies is going where no one has gone before.

CHMS is beginning a volleyball team for the first time in school history in 2012. Head coach Tori Stone said the girls are anxious and excited about doing something that no other girls have ever done.

“We have had some practices all summer,” said Stone. “But today is our first day with school. The girls are going 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today. I thought it would be a good idea to have a team, but the principal is the one who came to me.”

The Charles Henderson Middle School volleyball team was the brainchild of Principal Aaron Brown. Stone said that Brown came to hear soon after she arrived at CHMS and asked if she had any volleyball experience. Stone said she told the principal she did, and the job was awarded to her soon after that.

Despite being a first year program, Stone says the volleyball team has some experience on the squad.

“We have one transfer student who has really helped us out,” said Stone. “We went to camp at Troy University this summer and the girls have gotten quite a bit better as we have went on.”

The program will play 10 matches on seven different days, with two tri-matches against Barbour County. The schedule will also include matches against Goshen, Ariton, and D.A. Smith of Ozark.

The program will be used to get girls interested in the game of volleyball, as well as beginning a “feeder system” for the Charles Henderson High School program.

“The coach at the high school (Jennifer Sikes) believes that it is an awesome idea, and I agree with her,” said Stone. “It is good experience for the girls to get in and learn some of the terminology and begin to develop.”

Though the team is new, Stone said that there have already been quite a few surprises on the year.

“We have quite a few girls step up to be leaders this season already,” said Stone. “Even some of the younger girls are getting vocal. They are all excited and looking forward to the year.”