Netting a BIG WIN
by George Diaz
Down two sets to none in the FHSAA Class 6A volleyball state championship game and on the brink of elimination, the Oviedo High School girls’ team focused on the lessons learned from head coach Jen Darty.
Play hard. Play smart. Play together. Play with pride.
The Lions would go on to win the last three sets – known as a reverse sweep – to claim the state title over St. Thomas Aquinas in November.
“It showed the heart, the passion, the belief that my kids play with all the time,” says Jen, “and it was evident on such a big stage.”
That it was. And it would mark Oviedo’s third state title in the program’s history, all under Jen’s watch. The girls’ volleyball team scaled the same mountain in 2013 and 2018.
Sending Good Vibes
Jen served up some motivational mojo this season by asking seniors from the past few teams to send video messages to the current team before the regional final. And when the Lions advanced to state, Oviedo’s championship team from 2018 sent messages with a similar inspirational vibe. Jen also showed the girls a video of the 2018 state title victory.
That positive mindset carried over as the Lions prepared for their state matches in Winter Haven.
“I don’t think I ever really lost hope,” says Delaney Sloane, a setter and one of the team’s best players. “We were pushing each other. Something that definitely helped us win was our togetherness and our team bond.”
Delaney’s attitude reflects the foundation of Jen’s coaching style. A former volleyball player at Oviedo High School (Class of 2006), Jen would go on to play collegiately at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia and at the College of Charleston in South Carolina. She joined the Oviedo program in 2010 as an assistant coach and became head coach the following season.
Now 37, Jen has also been the school’s athletic director since 2017, overseeing 33 sports between the boys’ and girls’ programs. Fall season is particularly challenging because volleyball coincides with football season.
“I’m just kind of always busy,” she says. “But I think that’s when I function the best. Controlled chaos is a good way of looking at it.”
Women of the Year
The results are tangible. Jen was named the Florida Dairy Farmers 6A Coach of the Year this season. The accolades have also trickled down to her team, with Delaney being recognized as the 6A Player of the Year. Delaney had plenty of support from standout teammates, including seniors Keely Starnes and Jordin Ndiaye and junior Anderson Hitt.
“We’re fortunate in that from year to year the goals within our volleyball program remain the same,” says Jen. “We have high expectations. We want to be competing in November. I think every team across the state would say they have aspirations of winning a state championship, and we’re obviously fortunate to have done that and experienced it."
Adds Jen, “They know the joy that comes with that and they want to continue to set the standard and work just as hard to accomplish it for themselves. But it’s not just on the court. It’s in the classroom. High goals all the way around, and I think that’s what makes it special.”
Another state title proves as much.