For most of her life, Carli Bleyle grew up around Montgomery County volleyball.

“I rode all the buses to the games,” Bleyle said. “I spent weekends at tournaments. I’ve been in Montgomery in the gym around volleyball since I was three years old.”

Now, Bleyle is taking over the MCHS volleyball program as she was hired to replace Rachel Leu as head coach. She will lead a coaching staff that includes Karlie Holligan and Caroline Fudge. Holligan was Bleyle’s teammate on the Wildcats’ volleyball squad and Fudge is Bleyle’s sister.

“Our goal is to spread volleyball in the community,” Bleyle said. “Get everyone involved all the way down to our little first graders. So we’re slowly trying to expand the program and get camps for our youth involved as well.”

Bleyle and her team wrapped up a three-day camp that was held at Montgomery County Middle School from June 10-12. The camp had a strong turnout as it attracted 26 players. Bleyle said her team has enough players to field varsity, junior varsity and freshman teams, which is something that has never happened in over a decade.

“I have a young group of girls, but they’re so excited,” Bleyle said. “We have so much enthusiasm and they’re ready to do whatever it is I ask of them. So I’ve got girls who are playing positions they have never played before and they’re all taking it in stride.”

Only three of those players – sophomores Khloe Kribbs and Megan Pierson and freshman Mieka Ray-Wise – return from last year’s team that finished with four victories. Kylie Powell and Ruby Cox are the only seniors.

Bleyle said her players focused more on passing at the MCHS camp.

“You’re never going to set the ball and you’re never going to hit the ball and make that awesome kill if you don’t pass the ball,” the new MCHS volleyball coach said. “So we’re going back to our fundamentals, trying to make sure we have a core foundation before we build on some of those extra skills.”

The Wildcats participated at the Licking Volleyball Camp in Rolla on June 13-14. Bleyle said she wants her players to remain active in volleyball before practices begin in August. The Wildcats’ season begins on Sept. 2 with a road match against Hermann.

“We do open gyms twice a week, but we know a lot of our girls are busy with weights and basketball,” Bleyle said. “So we try to not overwhelm them too much in summer because it’s summer. We want them to go be kids, have fun and spend some time with family, but we make sure they’re getting in the gym at least a few times a week.”

Bleyle worked as assistant coach under Leu for two years before taking over head coaching duties. Bleyle said one of her goals is to make her team successful like Leu did during her coaching career. Leu won over 100 matches and coached the Wildcats to six Eastern Missouri Conference championships during her coaching career.

“I’ve been around her since I was little, so I’ve seen the work ethic she instilled into the girls,” Bleyle said. “She always wanted the very best for them to give her 120 percent. If things were too easy, she made it tougher on them because it creates tougher girls, mental toughness and physicality. She tries to create a very fast paced gym. That is something I want to continue and bring in because that’s an awesome mentality to have in volleyball. You want to give everything 100 percent or more anytime you’re on the court.”

Bleyle graduated from MCHS in 2016. Bleyle, whose maiden name is Shaw, led the Wildcats in service aces with 34 in her senior year. Leu was her head coach.

Bleyle graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor’s degree in physical education and coaching. She coached volleyball in Utah for several years before returning to Montgomery County.

“I love volleyball,” Bleyle said. “My love for volleyball is crazy. I want to spread that love to all of the community. I want girls to want to play this sport and to hopefully love it and enjoy it as much as I do.”

Bleyle’s mother, Cindy, was a member of the 1991 MCHS squad that placed fourth in the state. She later worked as head coach of the Wildcats.

“For me to be the varsity coach after watching my mom do it and being around it for years, it’s exciting for me,” Bleyle said. “I’m proud of what I got and I have a great group of coaches with me.”