A season rarely goes exactly as planned, but Cookeville volleyball coach Logan Hicks believes adversity should never determine a team’s potential. After injuries forced the Lady Cavaliers to rely on inexperienced players, Cookeville continued to compete through a culture built on resilience, family and a commitment to playing for one another.
Hicks was named District 7-4A Coach of the Year after leading the Lady Cavaliers to an 11-3 record in district play. Despite losing two key starters to injuries during the season, Cookeville continued to find ways to win by relying on younger players to fill important roles.
“I had some key players that had never seen a varsity before and some freshmen that came in and played wonderful for me in the absence of those injured players,” Hicks said.
Hicks said the team lost a starting outside hitter to a torn ACL and meniscus before a middle hitter suffered a ligament injury midway through the district schedule. Those setbacks tested the team’s depth and reinforced the importance of keeping everyone engaged and ready to contribute.
“Yes, they were upset when they went down, but it’s not that, okay, we’re just going to lay down and because we can’t win no more,” Hicks said. “It’s, hey, we’re going to go out and we’re going to play for her and we’re going to show her that just because they are gone doesn’t mean that the team has laid down and they fight for each other.”
Hicks said the players’ willingness to support injured teammates reflects the close relationships he wants to establish throughout the program. With the team spending nearly every day together from July through October, he emphasizes building connections that extend beyond the volleyball court.
“I want everybody to love each other, fight for each other like you would do for your own family members,” Hicks said. “And so, I mean, we have to be with each other so might as well become a family, become one team.”
Hicks said watching players develop both athletically and personally has been one of the most rewarding parts of coaching at Cookeville. During his two years with the program, he has seen the roster make significant strides, with several freshmen stepping into expanded responsibilities.
“It’s always a joy to see a player grow on the court and off the court,” Hicks said. “And it’s wonderful to see and the skill level from where—this is only my second year here—but just the amount of growth that I’ve seen in these young ladies for the last two years has been very fun to watch.”
Hicks said the team’s response to adversity has also influenced his approach to coaching. Rather than allowing setbacks to define a season, he has learned to focus on the opportunities that remain and the progress the team can continue to make.
“It’s taught me that just because something has not gone right does not mean that the road is done,” Hicks said. “They keep looking forward to the next match, to the next opportunity, which led me to also do that myself, where I’ve had struggle with that in my past years coaching.”
