Lady Jackets look to continue success under new coach
Team Capsule
The Calhoun Lady Jackets have been a perennial playoff contender over the past decade with 10 straight trips to the state tournament. Now, they enter a new era, and the same level of success is expected if not raised even higher.
Kayla Ralston takes over as head coach this season, replacing Jerry Pruett, who led the program for 15 years and built it into one of the most consistent in Northwest Georgia. Ralston, who played for Pruett and also served as an assistant under him for nine seasons, now hopes to take what she learned from him and continue the strong tradition of Lady Jackets basketball.
Calhoun finished as Region 6-AAA runner-up last season before falling to a strong Hart County team in the first round of the state tournament, and they will have a largely new cast of contributors after losing several starters, including the pro- gram’s all-time leading scorer in the modern era Jana Johns, among other key pieces. They will lean on guard Erin Davis and forward Anna George who saw plenty of court time last season, but will now be looked at to provide scoring, defense and leadership.
The Calhoun Times recently caught up with the new head coach Ralston to discuss taking over the head role, replacing multiple talented players from last year’s team, attempting to continue the consistent success of the program, keys to the team having success in 2017-18 and her goals and expectations for this year’s group.
Here’s what she had to say:
CT:
Going into your first year as head coach, how much has the offseason and preseason been about the girls learning your coaching style and expectations and how much have they bought in to you? How much does being an assistant for Coach Pruett the past several years help?
RALSTON:
I have been around many of these girls over the past couple of years while serving as Coach Pruett’s assistant. I also have the opportunity to work with many of them during softball season as well. Whether it is in class, on the softball field, or on the basketball court, these girls know that I have high expectations. I ask that they give me their best each and every day. By serving as Coach Pruett’s assistant for the past nine seasons, I have been able to learn a great deal about the game and coaching. The transition has been a relatively easy one. Although my coaching style may be a little different from Coach Pruett’s, the similarity will be in the expectation of hustle and playing with heart.
CT:
You are replacing several key players from last year’s team, including the program’s all-time leading scorer in the modern era Jana Johns. How tough will it be to fill all those roles, and who are a few players that you feel are ready to step up as leaders on and off the court?