2024-25 INformation Meeting

I'm Cassie Johnson, and I'm originally from Nashville, TN. I have over 20 years of volleyball experience through school ball, club in college, and continuing to play in adult leagues and tournaments. I've been coaching since 2020 and enjoy helping athletes become the best versions of themselves, both on and off the court. One of my favorite reminders to give our players is to start strong, stay strong.

Hello! My name is Salina Evans and I grew up in Columbia but now I call Manchester home. 

I’ve played school ball from 6-12th grade and after graduating I played in adult and college leagues. 

This is my second year coaching at HF and I absolutely love it!

 I love watching athletes learn to enjoy the journey, and not just the end result. The process of learning a new skill is just as fun and important as the execution of the new skill. 

Hi! My name is Shelby and I‘m originally from Danville, AL. I moved to Middle TN in 2017 for college and have been here since. 

I played as a middle hitter in school and club volleyball from 7th grade to 12th grade and played intramural volleyball with my sorority throughout college. Now I enjoy playing sand volleyball in my free time!

This is my first year coaching and my favorite thing about it has been seeing the improvement of each player and the excitement on the girls’ faces whenever a big play is made. 

My favorite thing to coach is serving and hitting and will work with all ages!

Hi, I’m Tori Laidig! I’m a Middle Tennessee native, having spent my life in Rockvale before moving to Spring Hill in 2022 with my fiancé and our miniature dachshund, Willow.

Volleyball has been a central part of my life since middle school, starting as a middle hitter in 6th grade and progressing to an all-around outside hitter by the end of high school. My journey continued working with the University of Tennessee Knoxville volleyball team for two years, followed by playing and leading for four years as Vice President of the MTSU club volleyball team. I’m now enjoying playing in adult leagues. 

This will be my first year coaching, and I’m thrilled to join HF and to be able to contribute to the development of the next generation of volleyball players. I look forward to helping them grow both as players and people, fostering their skills and character. 

Hello, I am coach Emily and I am from Murfreesboro, TN. 

When joining HFVC, I had very little experience in volleyball but have sports experience from growing up playing soccer. This is my 2nd season coaching and I enjoy it so much!

What I love most is being a positive influence in people’s lives especially young athletes. My coaches were people who have changed my lie and helped me to become who I am today!

At this moment I love coaching all ages. Currently I assist for our 16/17u team. I tend to gravitate more towards working with Liberos and DS because of my size but would love to continue building my knowledge of setting and work with them.

I am Megan Barfield, originally from Ohio, but middle Tennessee has been my home since 2004.

I played volleyball throughout middle and high school.  Thanks to my parents I participated in six years of club volleyball and went to nationals one year. I’ve also played in few adult leagues over the years. This is my first year coaching and I look forward to assisting this year with HF.  We had a great experience with HF last season and my daughter grew a ton. Being back in the gym and at tournaments fired up my love for volleyball again! Being around the athletes and teaching them skills, hard work, and how to be consistent is exciting and so rewarding. Watching a skill finally click with a player is the best! 

When I was a volleyball player, my position was left side both front and back row.  Hitting, passing, serving, covering hitters, transitioning on and off the net and setting the block are things I’m most comfortable with.  However, I was used as a backup setter, so I can offer some knowledge there as well.  I often joke that I may have played volleyball in the “Middle Ages” but the technique is still the same! 

Hi, I’m Peyton from Nashville. I’ve played volleyball for fun for a long time and I have coached other sports for several years. This past season was my first year as a volleyball coach.

Seeing players use what we’ve taught in practice in a game successfully makes you feel like you’ve had a lasting impact on the thought process of players. I’ve coached the 12u team, but I am willing to work with all younger age groups from 8-14! I love coaching hitting and blocking. 

Hello! I’m Leslie Fawcett. I was born and raised in Louisville, KY and moved to Nashville in 1988 after I graduated from Western Kentucky University. I have lived in Thompsons Station since 2001. I have been playing volleyball since 1983. I tried it as a senior in High School, barely making the team. I fell in love with the sport the following spring when I started playing pick-up sand volleyball. I have been playing ever since, 6s, 4s, 2s, indoor, sand, grass! I’ve played a lot of volleyball and I’ve watched a lot of volleyball both as a spectator and a parent when my kids were playing. This will be my first experience coaching. I’m excited to learn this aspect of the sport. I love this sport so much and want to bring that passion to the next generation. I want everybody to be playing volleyball when they’re my age😉

Hey there, my name is Madeline Peeler and I am a born and raised Nashville native! 

I played all 4 years of highschool and 4 years of travel and still play in multiple adult co-ed rec leagues. I rotate between outside and right side/setter. I’ve always loved volleyball as it’s brought me some of my best friends and I would love to foster that kind of relationship building for our players each season! 

This is my first year coaching but I hope that I can relay and instill in others half of what my coaches taught me. I still keep up with those coaches and am excited that I’m now getting to switch roles and be that person for others. 

Serving and setting have always been strong suits of mine, which I think are such crucial and sometimes underrated parts of the game. So I’m looking forward to teaching the little tips and tricks I’ve learned along the way to my team! 

My name is Jolie Anghel, and I was born in Phoenix Arizona! I have almost 7 years of volleyball experience, 6 of which were from club and I spent some of that time helping coach summer camps back in Arizona. This will be my first year coaching with HF Volleyball! 

I love sharing my love and passion for the sport and helping people grow their knowledge of the game, especially kids! 

I love coaching all positions but my all-time favorite is Libero/DS.