Tammy Voth has been named the new volleyball coach for Pine High School.

Voth takes over a program, which is still in its infancy, as it enters just its fourth season of play this season.

Voth said she doesn’t have much experience with head coaching of a volleyball team but is learning and added that her assistant, Patricia Thomas, would be valuable for her and the team.

Voth said one of the things that she brings to the team is that she gets along with the players and that they’ve learned to respect her.

“A lot of kids that I coach in softball also play volleyball,” Voth said. “They’ll try anything I ask of them because they know I’m only out here to help them get better.”

Voth said she is excited about the upcoming season.

“We have more games this year than we did last year,” Voth said. “We’re a young team. Volleyball hasn’t been at Pine that long, so we’re still in the learning stages. The schedule is very tough, especially in district, but the girls don’t get down on themselves. They continue to improve each match, and that’s all I can ask of them. Our goal every year is to win more games than we did the year before.”

Pine, a member of District 3-IV, has four teams in its league. The district features St. Thomas Aquinas, Archbishop Hannan, Pope John Paul II and Northlake Christian School.

Last season, St. Thomas made the playoffs as the No. 13 seeded team and reached the regionals before falling to fourth-seeded and eventual state semifinalist Riverside Academy three games to one.

Hannan went as the 10th-seeded team and was swept by seventh-seeded John Curtis in the regionals.

Pope John Paul II was the No. 5 seed, but was eliminated by Riverside, 3-1, in the quarterfinals.

Northlake Christian made the regionals as the ninth seed, but lost to eighth seeded Academy of Sacred Heart out of New Orleans, 3-1.

Pine Principal Jennifer Thomas said Voth, who is also the head softball coach and will be helping with the Pine’s girls’ junior high basketball squad, is a team player and decided to do it.

“She said she’d help us out this year, be a team player and take over for us,” Thomas said. “She’ll do an awesome job.”

Voth took over the softball program last season and guided the Lady Raiders to a 14-13 overall record and 2-6 mark in District 8-2A play.

Pine had two close district games. They lost one game by one run and another by two scores.Voth was named the District 8-2A Coach of the Year.

The Lady Raiders made the playoffs as the No. 30 seed, but lost 15-0 to eventual state runner up Holy Savior Menard.

“She did a remarkable job as a first-year head coach,” Jennifer Thomas said. “She was coach of the year. We went to the playoffs. First time that Pine High School has ever been to the playoffs in softball, and Mrs. Tammy did it. Mrs. Tammy did a great job. She’s wonderful with the kids.”

Thomas said she’s excited about Voth because she’s proved to her what she can do as a first-year coach beyond measure.

Thomas added that Voth is an awesome classroom teacher. She teaches seventh-grade science.

“She gives 100 percent wherever she’s at, so I’m very excited about her (coaching),” Thomas said. “The girls are excited and we’re going to have a good year.”

Voth replaces Jennifer Hughes, who accepted a job at William Pitcher Junior High School in Covington, where she will teach journeys to careers and eighth-grade math.

Hughes will continue coaching, serving as an assistant for basketball and volleyball. Hughes will also officiate volleyball this season.

Voth’s Lady Raiders are set to play in the Covington High School Jamboree, which is Aug. 28. Their regular season begins Sept. 4 at home against Varnado.