A familiar face will be patrolling the sidelines as Aberdeen Christian starts its volleyball season Tuesday night.
Ashley Landis, who coached the Knights two seasons ago, returns to that position this year. Landis, who served as an assistant at Presentation last season, is excited to be back.
"It was an opportunity to (help) build the program and get a lot of girls involved," Landis said. "It's just something I wanted to do. I really enjoyed coaching (here)."
Landis said she has about three girls that were on the team when she coached two years ago. This season, the Knights have a dozen girls out, which is higher than in the past.
"It's probably almost double," Landis said. "I think that we are starting to get more interest from the younger girls."
The team has just two seniors, Abigail Fisk and newcomer Elizabeth Murray. There are also four juniors and three sophomores on the squad. Landis expects everyone to play a positive role for the Knights.
"Everyone will have something to contribute and be a piece of the puzzle," Landis said.
Playing together as a team should help produce success on the court, the coach said.
"We will focus on working together as a team, communicating with each other, getting our technique down, and doing things correctly," Landis said.
Landis noted the Knights have a lot of quickness they will try to use and the team also will rely upon its volleyball knowledge during the season.
"They are smart, they learn quickly and are extremely hard workers," Landis said. "They want to do the best they can at all times."
The schedule for Christian will offer challenges night after night, Landis said.
"I think everyone will probably be very competitive, so we can't overlook anyone," she said.
After playing its first three matches at home, the Knights have a lengthy stretch of games away from the Civic Arena, playing eight of their next 10 on the road.
"That's just the way the schedule worked out. We will have to keep healthy and rested during all the traveling," Landis said.
Landis is assisted by her sister, Kendra Myers, who played for Christian. The team has a definite family feel to it, as the team also features sisters Hannah and Sarah Cleveland, as well as cousins Brittany Erickson and Paige Hubert.
SCHEDULE: September - 3, Northwestern; 5, Ipswich; 10, Edmunds Central; 12, at Leola-Frederick; 14, at Clark-Willow Lake Tournament; 16, Hendricks, Minn.; 17, at Langford Area; 19, at Wolsey-Wessington; 23, at Waubay; 26, at Eureka-Bowdle; October - 1, Warner; 3, at Faulkton; 8, at Edmunds Central; 10, Hitchcock-Tulare; 14, at Sunshine Bible; 22, Iroquois; 24, at Wakpala.