Justine Ackie found herself in a difficult position last year with the Mountain Pointe volleyball program.
Most coaches have time to adjust to their players during the summer, meeting with those who plan to return from the previous year. But Ackie was hired just before tryouts.
He made the most of the opportunity given to him, but the Pride struggled dealing with injuries to key players at various points during the season. This year, however, Ackie is ready to turn the page on a show that has struggled for the past four seasons.
Ackie has started to establish a new culture and attitude for the show, something his players immediately liked. He also wanted to express the importance of his mental health. He wants his players to be not only physically prepared for a demanding season, but also mentally.
“We’re really big this year in culture and attitude,” Ackie said. “Having those positive attitudes and working on mental health from a sporting aspect and making sure that these girls, not only are they thriving skill-wise, but also mental health-wise.
“I am preaching culture to them. You’re only as good as your character, that’s one of our main focuses right now.”
A change in culture is something Ackie thinks will help a Mountain Pointe team that has won eight games the past two seasons. COVID affected the schedule, with some key players sitting out due to the uncertainty of the fall sports season.
Last year, injuries and an overall young squad kept the Pride from winning games. But this season, several sophomores and juniors who saw considerable playing time at the college level a year ago have now returned.
They all bring familiarity to the show, along with a veteran presence. There’s also the leadership factor, a trait Ackie has seen develop in some players in particular.
Makayla Carroll has been one of those leaders for the team. Last year, she was forced to lead off the bench due to a torn ACL. Now healthy, her teammates match her energy on a daily basis. She admits to being the boisterous one of the group. It’s natural for her.
While some of that comes from her pure love of volleyball and her personality, most of this season is down to the joy that comes from being able to play again after fully recovering from injury.
“It means everything,” Carroll said. “That was my main goal, just to play again. I am very excited. Volleyball is my passion.”
Carroll sought advice from MiMi Harris, a 2022 Mountain Pointe graduate who went on to play volleyball at Alabama State. The two are best friends and have been for years.
When Carroll had doubts about his return at times, Harris was in his ear for motivation. Carroll took it to heart and is now preparing to be the libero for a team that she believes can have a special season after a productive summer.
“He told me I could do it and to believe in myself. It’s about the mindset.”
Carroll said. “I am excited this year. I feel we have a good team. We have grown a lot and we have been working very hard this summer.”
Along with Carroll, Alivia Procter took it upon herself to hold her teammates accountable throughout the summer. Ackie said Procter was the one who organized the workouts and set times for everyone on the show to show up.
As a sophomore last season, he had 29 spikes, 20 aces and 74 digs for the Pride. But Ackie expects her to play a much bigger role this season as an outside attacker and defensive specialist.
It’s an opportunity Procter is excited about. She’s seen the show at its lowest point and now she’s eager for the chance to build it back up as a championship contender. That, however, will come in a new conference when the Pride moved from 6A to 5A in the latest Arizona Interscholastic Association realignment.
Procter doesn’t see the move as a demotion. He allows her and her teammates to see new opponents and perhaps be more competitive.
“Honestly, I think we can do very well,” Procter said. “We can meet new teams, see how they play. It’s a new image and it gives us a new mindset that we can build on.”
One of Procter’s main goals this season is to do what he can to help turn the volleyball program around and in the right direction.
She knows the history of Mountain Pointe athletics. And she has seen the rise of other programs at the school. She feels the volleyball program has to redeem itself this year, and the leadership of players like her will be key to that.
“Mountain Pointe athletics has always been good, so many accolades and stuff,” Procter said. “We lost our seniors last year, but we didn’t take it as a loss because we won a lot. I think we can make the most of it this year and a lot
of leadership.”
Mountain Pointe plans to bring a new level of energy to every game this season. A preview of that was seen during the Pride vs. Mesquite fight. On one occasion the bench was asked to sit down while they cheered.
That’s one feature of his team that Ackie loves. He also shows how ready they were for the season to kick off Tuesday against Cienega.
“We are ready to play. They’re looking forward to playing,” Ackie said. “Preseason is always difficult because it’s just practice. It’s hard to put into words how excited we are for this team.”
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