New Madison High volleyball coach Maddy Trilling: 'This is my home'
MARSHALL - Maddy Trilling, a 2006 Madison High graduate, has now coached nearly as many sports as she played in high school, as Madison County Schools recently introduced Trilling as its girls volleyball coach.
Trilling was "Athlete of the Year" in 2006 as a standout goalkeeper for the Lady Patriots soccer team, and also played volleyball, basketball and ran cross-country during her high school career.
This spring, she coached the school's newly formed tennis team.
Trilling said she is excited to get the opportunity to coach the volleyball team.
"I'm so excited," she said. "It means a lot to me to have this opportunity. I have really, really enjoyed coaching the (tennis team), but I played volleyball for this team, so it feels a little different."
Trilling, a land use attorney and partner Scarbrough, Scarbrough & Trilling PLLC, located in Concord, joked that she was running through possible lineups for the team from her desk.
"I'm sitting here trying to figure out the best way to use our players for certain lineups, so my head's fully in volleyball right now," she said.
The team has had two weeks of practice as of June 9, Trilling said.
"We're starting from square one and going back to fundamentals, because I'm a big believer that fundamentals win games," Trilling said. "I think the girls are really excited. I'm really excited. I've been so ecstatic to see how hard these girls are willing to work, and how much talent is on this team. I've been so impressed by that, and their commitment to the game."
The team finished 1-15 and last place in Western Highlands Conference play last season. Despite the team's 2021-22 record, Trilling is optimistic about the program and feels the level of talent on the team is not indicative of its last-place finish, according to the coach.
"I told them on day one Day 1 when I walked in there I made a mistake of judging a book by its cover, or a team by its record, because I watched hours and hours of film on this team before I even met with them, and I'm like, 'Holy mackerel, the level of talent with this group is insane - far more talented than, I think, when I was there.'"
The new coach expects to lean on a pack of seniors for production, including Zoe Einheuser, Ella Capps, Presley Vilcinskas and Kaylee Campagna.
"They've been playing together for a long time, and they communicate well," Trilling said. "I think they're ready to have a season that represents them a little bit better."
Trilling said the team will rely on production from several returning underclassmen as well, including Anna Capps, Carrie Gunter and Addie Rae Coates, who is dealing with injuries and may not be back in time for the start of the season.
"(Capps) is a fantastic right-side hitter," Trilling said. "She's a southpaw, so she has a really good angle from that side of the court. Carrie Gunter is just a sophomore, but she's absolutely an incredible athlete, I mean just shockingly athletic, especially for her age. She's really going to pull some weight for us. If (Coates) isn't back in time for the start of the season, Carrie's going to have to pull a lot of the weight. You'd think entrusting a sophomore with sort of the quarterback of the volleyball team, on its face may seem questionable, but I can't think of anybody whose hands it could be better placed in, with Addie being out."
According to Trilling, the team's last-place finish did not impact the players' relationships within the team, as the unit's camaraderie is on full display.
"They gel very well together. They get along very well, which, candidly, is not always the case," Trilling said. "They're a very close group. Their record last year wasn't reflective of the talent on this team. There are great hitters in this group, and the things that are wrong, we can fix."
The coach vowed that her passion for the game coupled with the team's depth and talent would help to turn the program around.
"I love the game," Trilling said. "The level of talent, and the relationship that you can see on the court between the players drew me in. I'm pretty dead-set on changing (the team's record). Again, it's not always about your record. The way I look at coaching has been, 'Go out there and try to get better every day, and when you do that, the rest will fall into place.' Having the talent and the toolbox that I have, with players with all sorts of abilities, I want to try to maximize that. I certainly don't want to stand in their way."
Ultimately, Trilling said she is most excited about having the opportunity to continue her coaching career at her alma mater and her home county.
"This county, and the people here have made such a difference in my life," she said. "This is my home. If you're going through something, everybody's going to be there and have your back. This is the village that raised this child."
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: New Madison High volleyball coach Maddy Trilling: 'This is my home'
