By Justin Fedich | The Selma Times-Journal

Some coaches will coach six different teams in a lifetime. Morgan Academy’s Caroline Averitt is coaching six teams in one school year.

Averitt begins her new role with the Morgan volleyball team on Monday after being named the head coach of the varsity and junior high volleyball, softball and basketball teams on June 1. Last season, Averitt was head coach of the junior varsity volleyball team.

Averitt doesn’t plan on wasting any time transitioning to coaching both varsity and junior varsity.

“We’re here to put banners on the walls and rings on fingers, and we’re going to put the work in to make that happen,” Averitt said.

Averitt led last season’s junior high volleyball team to second in the state and attracted many of the Morgan Academy girls to the sport of volleyball, including her seventh-grade daughter Hannah. This season, 35 girls signed up to play volleyball, roughly 15 more than last season.

Morgan athletic director Jake Wingo noticed Averitt’s success last year and is looking forward to seeing where she takes Morgan athletics this season.

“She’s a great person to have,” Wingo said. “She’s definitely an asset to our school. We’re glad that she’s here and excited to have her. She loves to coach and has a great work ethic.”

Averitt takes over the girls’ basketball team from Jeremy Carter, who remains the school’s baseball coach. Morgan Academy’s former softball coach Ed Miller retired after taking the Senators to the Alabama Independent School Association state tournament last year.

Averitt said she was ecstatic when she found out she was going to be coaching all of the sports she grew up playing.

“I love coaching sports. I love coaching girls, especially when they have that desire to learn and that hunger to win,” Averitt said.

Averitt is prepared to take on all three sports, but she will focus solely on volleyball starting next week.

The first day of practice is Monday and the first game of the season is Thursday at 6 p.m. at home against Tuscaloosa. The season opens with seven of the first 10 games on the road.

For some, a long stretch of road matches might be something to lose sleep over. Averitt just sees it as a great opportunity.

“We came out of the gate swinging [last year] and set the tone very early on and I intend to do the same thing this year,” Averitt said.