GUYTON — Chancey Garrett is returning to the South Effingham volleyball program.

The third-year head coach left the team after the 2017 season to finish her Master’s Degree. Knowing her education would eventually take precedence over the amount of time she could put into the team, she decided it would be best to focus on school and return when she would be able to give the team her undivided attention.  

 “I didn’t want to give less than 100 percent to the girls,” Garrett said. “I still came to games when I could, and practice, but coach Jennifer Cribbs did a great job. She let me take it over now that I have my Master’s.”

Garrett plans for her second stint to be different than the first. 

“This year is going to change from the past,” she said. “You always want the girls to work hard but this year I think I am going to focus on teamwork and being a family. These girls are awesome and there is so much talent and so much to work with. We have a lot of new girls coming up so I really want to work on teamwork and bringing the girls together. I want us to be a family on the court so it’s a smooth transition from JV to varsity.

“I am so excited. Whenever I first started coaching, I was very green. I had a lot to learn just like anybody would. I have a clear vision of what I want to do and how I want to do it. I am really excited about this season. I think we are going to see some great things.” 

Her time off the court was not easy. In her first two seasons at South Effingham, she enjoyed the bond she created with her team as well the battle-tested matchups. 

“Whenever you coach a team, you all get so close,” Garrett said. “I really missed the girls and I was really sad not to coach. The thrill of the competition is something that is deep down with me.”

As she prepares to make her second coaching debut, Garrett is looking forward to the North Forsyth tournament that will feature Atlanta teams with the same level of talent and skill she saw growing up.

“We see high competition in that area,” Garrett said. “I am excited about that. That will be in the middle of the season and will give us a boost to finish our season strong. All of those Atlanta teams are strong competition. You go up there and it’s a different level.

“I grew up in North Carolina near Raleigh and volleyball up there is the same, so I’m used to that higher level.”