The Montgomery County volleyball team couldn’t have asked for a better way to start off its summer.

The squad received a $5,000 donation from Google to help with equipment as well as accommodations for its out-of-town tournaments this summer. The company also paid for T-shirts for its camp it ran from June 16-19.

“Everyone I worked with down at Google has been so gracious and kind,” MCHS coach Carli Bleyle said. “They’re like, ‘This is what we do. We want to figure out how to help you guys.’ ”

Google has made plans to invest in a $15 billion data center that will be constructed in New Florence. Bleyle said since the company is trying to create some community goodwill, she wrote to company officials to explain about her team.

“Over half of the girls come from single-parent homes with one-parent provided income,” Bleyle said. “Even getting food at home can be hard, so I wanted to do everything in my power to make sure there was zero financial hardship for any of my players’ families. We’ve got this big business coming in, so what better way than to reach out with someone with a lot more resources than me to see if they would help fund everything.”

Bleyle said Google has been a big help in the team’s camp, which had a big turnout. It had 32 players, including five upcoming seniors, in the four-day event.

“I never had that many girls,” Bleyle said. “Without their donation, it wouldn’t have been possible to provide all of this for as many girls as we have. I’m incredibly thankful because I had moms come tell me that usually they pick up extra shifts or hours in order to help cover the cost of athletics. This year, they don’t have to do that. I know it can be hugely helpful to a lot of families in the community.”

The team was scheduled to compete in a tournament in Stover on June 20. It will compete in a tournament in Cape Girardeau for a two-day overnight tournament in July. Google paid for the team’s accommodations for both tournaments, which include food and hotel.

Bleyle said she influenced Montgomery County Middle School FCCLA adviser Becky Gilbert to contact Google. The FCCLA group got a $15,000 donation.

“I don’t want to just see my program grow,” Bleyle said. “I’m looking to figure out how I can help everyone here.”

But not everyone in the Montgomery County community was pleased with Bleyle’s efforts.

“I had some people already attacking me online and whatnot, calling me a sellout, telling me that I sold my soul to the devil,” the second-year MCHS volleyball coach said. “But I’m like I would do anything for these girls. These girls are what I lived for. I love what I do.”

Bleyle is heading a team that has been successful in the classroom. Last year, the Wildcats had five players – Addison Brower, Dakota Marion, Megan Pierson, Mieka Ray and Dakota Shipley – named to the Missouri High School Volleyball Coaches Association academic all-state team and all of them are coming back this fall.

“I know that some of these kids struggle in school, but when they’re in sports, my players have the best grades they had all year because I hold them not only to have good characteristics and being positive members of school, but they also have to be good academically,” Bleyle said. “Having volleyball as an outlet for some of them helps them do better in school and gives them something to look forward to at the end of the day and something to be motivated for so it would help them become all-around better people.”

Bleyle said during the camp, the players worked on basics in hitting, passing, setting and digging.

“Back to basics has kind of been our motto,” she said. “If you can do the basics exceptionally, you’ll be able to do the hard things without even thinking about it. Creating good habits that translate down from my freshmen all the way to down to my seniors really helps them be successful. It’s good camaraderie for my older girls to have to do stuff with the younger girls because it gives the younger girls someone to look up to and it gives my older girls a chance to be mentors and leaders.”

The Wildcats finished with three wins last fall. They are scheduled to start their season on Aug. 29 at the Tolton Catholic Tournament.