Bearcats work to Build the ‘Ship

The moment had finally arrived for Ruston volleyball, but something about the experience wasn’t all it was made out to be.

As Amanda Cauley took in the environment with the Bearcats at the state volleyball tournament last fall – the program’s first state tournament appearance – preparing to face perennial power Mt. Carmel, the energy and joy you might expect Cauley to have from leading the program she helped create to unprecedented heights wasn’t there. A piece was missing.

“I thought it was going to be this emotional high. And it was in some regards, but I still felt like something was missing,” Cauley said. “And for me, I was able to identify in myself through quiet time and prayer of why did this feel weird and why don’t I have as much joy inside me as I thought I would? And it was because the relationship aspect wasn’t where it needed to be.”

It hit Cauley like a well- executed kill. If she wanted to get the Bearcats to return to the state tournament this coming season, and truly enjoy the journey with each other from beginning to end, the program needed to build more meaningful connections.

“For me, it hit me that what I need to build are relationships. That’s for me,” Cauley said. “But for other girls, it might be something like sportsmanship, mentorship, friendship, leadership. And the goal is to cover all those things and build on all those things to get to the championship, so it doesn’t feel empty.”

In turn, Ruston’s mantra for the 2024 season is a simple one: Build the ‘Ship.

The saying is written throughout the team’s new locker rooms, on the back of T- shirts, and on social media posts as to let the mentality sink in. Building towards a championship takes intentionality and Cauley, back as full- time head coach this year, hopes the Bearcats buy in to the mantra so they can get the most out of this season.

“Most of them aren’t going to be professional athletes and fewer are going to be collegiate athletes, so what are they going to have when they’re done with this,” Cauley said. “ I want them to have life skills, know how to show up and work hard even when things get difficult. I want them to learn all those things and take that with them regardless of the winloss record.

“And I want to win too, and I want the girls to win and have that success. I want them to see this is the why.”

It’s been a steady climb for Ruston to finally reach the state tournament. Since 2018, the team’s overall record is 150-60, including a 29-13 mark in 2023 with a district title.

Consistency on the court has looked easy. But Cauley wonders what a season focused on the relationships off the court could unlock in a program that appears to have the necessary talent.

And with volleyball growing across north Louisiana as new leagues form and Lincoln Prep adds the sport for the first time in school history, Cauley wants Ruston to continue leading the charge for younger players to model when it comes to playing together. Enjoying the journey goes a long way.

“I’m amazed because we have seven and eight-year-olds that are trying to play volleyball now on developmental teams. RPAR has a league, A. E. Phillips has a team, and junior high, and Lincoln Prep has a team,” Cauley said. “I love that the sport is growing. I love the community buy-in. It’s awesome to see.”

Ruston volleyball opens the regular season tonight at 6 p.m. in the RHS gymnasium against Haughton.