AMANDA LIVINGSTON

What made Helena the right place for you?

From very early on in the interview process I sensed that Helena fosters a sense of excellence and family. It’s a system that pours into their faculty and students and creates a culture of high standards both academically and athletically. There is also a sense of community that is very appealing to me, everyone has been so welcoming and encouraging since I have been hired.

Excitement wise, what are you looking forward to as the next coach of the volleyball program?

I am very excited about this upcoming season as the next coach of Helena Volleyball. We have a very young and talented group of athletes that I have high expectations for this season. We have three returning seniors who have brought great leadership on and off the court so far and a great group of freshmen who are phenomenally talented. And last but not least, we have a very strong sophomore and junior class who have a ton of volleyball knowledge and experience. All of this combined makes my job as a coach very exciting!

You were at Tuscaloosa County recently, what will that experience do to help you here at Helena?

Tuscaloosa County was in one of the toughest Areas in 7A in the state. Because of that we had to be mentally tough and competitively ready for every match. Competing on that level and going against the top teams in the state made it to where we couldn’t always let the scoreboard reflect our growth as team. I feel that preparing the girls physically, mentally and developing a competitive mindset will help me as the coach at Helena.

As far as the team and community goes, what can they expect for you heading into this first fall?

Hard work and passion. I am a very hard worker and often don’t know what to do with down time. I am also very passionate about the sport of volleyball. I enjoy developing athletes and running a competitive program. I ask the girls almost every practice, “What type of legacy do you want to leave as a Helena volleyball player?” or “How do you want the outside to see the Volleyball Program?” Again, scoreboards don’t always reflect the team growth that is taking place.

Going into the 2023 season, what are the expectations for you and what will it take to get there?

My expectations are simple...we want to compete. When Helena walks into a gym we want are opponents to know that they have a battle ahead of them. What it is going to take to get us there is buy in. Every player, everyday has to buy in to the process of working harder, getting mentally tougher and competing with each other and with their opponents. My goal is for each player to wake up, go to school come to practice or a match and be better than they were yesterday.