The DeKalb County School Board has paved the way for a new girls sports team at DeKalb County High School after approving funding for a proposed girls volleyball team at its last monthly meeting held last Thursday evening. The sport wouldn’t begin until the 2024-25 season, but will provide funds for changes to a gym floor, equipment and uniforms.

The startup cost of the program was estimated at $12,460, but the exact location of which gym would be used for the sport has yet to be determined. DCHS officials say the most likely location would be the high school gym, though the DMS auxiliary gym has also been suggested. Holes will have to be cut into the floor of the gym to install the mounts for post, and striping will also have to be done. According to DCHS Principal Bruce Curtis, both gyms meet the required height for the sport.

The board is also waiting on naming a head coach for the program, until it can review salary estimates for the program. Tigerette head softball Coach Danielle Horton is currently the lead candidate after she stated that she would be interested in the position.

Reportedly, DCHS is the only area high school that does not have a girls volleyball program, and local students and parents have been requesting that the school board look into starting one. Under TSSAA Classification, the program will be in District 7AA along with Livingston Academy, Cumberland County, Stone Memorial, Upperman and Watertown.

The program schedule will follow the same as the girls soccer program, and will officially begin on July 29, 2024 with the regular season to start August 19, 2024. All district matches must be completed by October 11, 2024. The playoffs and state championships will conclude on October 25, 2024. The team will have the option of playing up to 35 games with four tournaments.

During the meeting, Director of School Patrick Cripps stated that in his experience high school teams are only as good as their feeder programs, indicating that eventually the board would need to consider starting programs at DeKalb Middle School and possibly DeKalb West School.