Phil Campbell Volleyball: Basics, mental toughness are key
Since its inception in 2021, the Phil Campbell High School volleyball program has established itself as a perennial area contender. In just five years of existence, the Bobcats have captured an area title, finished as area runner-up twice, made three Super Regional appearances, and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen.
Now, as the Bobcats prepare for another season, they do so under familiar leadership and in a challenging new environment.
Coach Amy Moss, who founded the program in 2021, returns to the varsity head coaching role this season after spending the last three years guiding the junior varsity squad. Her return coincides with a major shift in the program’s alignment: Phil Campbell moves down from Class 3A—where they frequently battled local rivals Colbert Heights, Colbert County and Sheffield—into a rugged Class 2A area that includes volleyball powerhouses Winston County and Carbon Hill as well as Cold Springs, a team that always has strong girls athletes.
“This will be a tougher area than what we’ve been used to,” Moss said. “Winston County went to the state finals last year and Carbon Hill has a very good team. I don’t know much about Cold Springs yet, but I do know they have a history of very good girl athletes, so I expect them to be good as well. There is nothing we can take for granted. We have to go out every match, every set, and every point with focus and determination and not let our guard down once.”
Phil Campbell brings back four starters to lead the charge, anchored by a trio of senior leaders who have been with the program since its very beginning: libero Ragan Moss, middle blocker Lily Stewart, and outside hitter Adeline Hunderman.
“They’ve been around since the start of the program when they were seventh graders,” Moss said of her seniors. “They know my expectations. They know we are going to work hard every day and we don’t want anyone to outwork us.”
Joining the senior core with extensive varsity experience are junior setters Aspen Misner and Lexxi Santoni, alongside junior outside hitter Layla Baker and junior Amberlee Mays, who stepped up from the junior varsity ranks last season.
The Bobcats also boast promising young talent in the frontcourt and across the floor. Freshman middle blocker Raven Scott returns after gaining valuable court time, while freshman Lily Tittle has emerged as a welcomed surprise in camp with her ability to play multiple positions.
To prepare for the demanding new area slate, Coach Moss put a premium on building resilience during summer workouts.
“Our offseason philosophy has been focused on mental toughness, positive attitudes, and conditioning,” Moss said.
While the Bobcat program has sustained impressive success early in its history, Moss emphasizes that taking the next step requires minimizing unforced mistakes and maintaining emotional control during tight sets.
“We need a next-ball mentality and focus on what we can control, which is attitude, effort, and energy,” Moss noted, adding that past stumbles were often due to selfinflicted errors.
Despite the tougher competition lying ahead in Class 2A, the standards in Phil Campbell remain high.
“We’ve been fortunate to make it to the regionals the last three years, and we want to continue that streak and go further,” Moss said.
