George Ranch Longhorns Have The Firepower in 2020
The next stop on our high school series around the state brings us back to the surrounding areas of Houston. We are going to introduce you to District 20-6A program George Ranch Longhorns. Since 2015, they have made it…
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Continue ReadingThe next stop on our high school series around the state brings us back to the surrounding areas of Houston. We are going to introduce you to District 20-6A program George Ranch Longhorns.
Since 2015, they have made it to the Regional Semifinals three times and the Regional Quarters four times. They are no strangers to success. The Longhorns have some serious talent to take it to the next level in the UIL State playoffs this coming season. Their offense is a problem to deal with to say the least. They will be great for the next couple of years as they have a crop of rising juniors that will be unstoppable.
The Longhorns are led by head coach Cheyanne Forshee. Coach Forshee has been a head varsity coach since 2003 and has tons of experience making the playoffs. After stints at Luling, San Marcos, and B.F. Terry, Cheyanne got the job at the newly formed George Ranch High School and has not looked back. After only a year as a Varsity program, they have never missed the playoffs since. Now they are embarking on becoming a volleyball juggernaut. They are young, hungry, but more importantly…they are extremely talented. I was fortunate enough to sit down with coach Forshee and discuss her program and here is a little from our conversation.
Prep Dig TX: What do you love about the school?
Coach Forshee: George Ranch High School is a special place. I absolutely love George Ranch because of our kids and our staff. It is home! We are who we are because of the people in the building from the top, down. Our principal is amazing and super supportive. Our admin team works hard to make sure our teachers and staff get what they need to help our kids succeed. The teachers, staff, support staff (everyone) gives it their all to help our kids succeed. Our kids are incredibly talented. I could go on and on about how wonderful our school is, but the success we have had in our short time span of existence speaks for itself. There is not just one program successful or one department successful at George Ranch, success is found all over our school in every aspect of the school. Every single department from athletics to fine arts to academics is top notch and competes above that of many other schools. It’s truly something special to be a part of.
Prep Dig TX: What do you love about your volleyball program the most?
Coach Forshee: I love my athletes the most about my volleyball program. Talented, smart, caring, hard working…these girls have it all. Along with having wonderful kids in the volleyball program, we have amazing parents. The parents are supportive, and they encourage their athlete to be the best version of herself possible. This makes my job a little easier and enjoyable.
Prep Dig TX: What is your coaching philosophy and how do you apply it to your teams?
Coach Forshee: A coach is afforded a rare opportunity to shape the lives of young people in an extremely influential manner. It is because of this reason that coaching must be taken on responsibly. I have to teach students the game, skills, and strategy that I want them to use. I cannot suppose they know anything, or I set them up for failure. I must nurture their growth as individuals and as a team by providing feedback and encouragement. I must provide them with knowledge, require discipline, instill respect, and elicit positive interaction. I must also provide athletes with opportunities to be successful, while also teaching them to accept defeat by learning from it.
Coaching requires me to model behaviors. I must be organized. I must show respect for my peers and athletes. I must prepare for competition and practice. I must be positive. I must learn from my own mistakes and teach athletes to learn from theirs. Coaches must model how to set goals and realize those goals. I must expect 110% from myself and no less from my athletes. I know my role as a coach, and I must explain individual roles to athletes, so they will accept theirs. Athletics, especially volleyball, has been a positive influence in my life. I have learned life skills that have been invaluable in my life thus far. I want to share those moments of experience and learning with young people so that they may take with them the positive influence of competition. I hope to teach them not only the game, but also the intrinsic values that are so necessary in life such as dedication, respect, discipline, determination, heart, perseverance, teamwork, and resilience.
Prep Dig TX: Any other coaches or staff you would like to highlight?
Coach Forshee: Varsity Assistant – David Reeves
Assistants – Melissa Jimenez and Leah Hollek
I am blessed with an amazing staff. Melissa Jimenez (formerly Pratt) has been with me since 2010 when we opened our doors. She is my sounding board and is always there to offer support as needed. The following year, we added David Reeves who makes me a better coach. He is always pushing us as a staff to get better and for that I am incredibly grateful. He challenges me in a good way. I think every staff should have that person because they make you better. This past year we were lucky enough to add Leah Hollek. She has been like a breath of fresh air for us. Leah is young and is a go-getter. I’m fired up that she is on staff.
Now let’s meet the firepower that will light up the court this coming season. It is phenomenal.
Allie Sczech Allie Sczech 6'4" | RS George Ranch | 2022 State #41 Nation TX [2022] 6-4 Right Side (HS: George Ranch/Club: Houston Skyline/ Verbal: Baylor)
Allie comes in ranked as the #9 top volleyball player for the 2022 class in the state of Texas according to our Prep Dig rankings. The six foot four left-handed Right Side attacker from George Ranch High School has verbally committed to Baylor University. She is a dominant force at the net for her Houston Skyline club team. Her formidable size is the first thing people see on the other side of the net. I see a very skilled volleyball player. As a lefty, she is able to hit all options on the right side of the court very well. She shows off her skills by regularly hitting first and second tempos in serve receive play sets. She is absolutely unstoppable when her setter is running toward the left side of the court and decides to go against flow to Allie. There is a one on one situation for her and everyone can see what is coming. A kill. The Big 12 Conference and Baylor will be getting a great young lady to represent their volleyball program. George Ranch will be a force with this young lady on the pin.
Logan Lednicky Logan Lednicky 6'1" | RS George Ranch | 2022 State #133 Nation TX [2022] 6-1 Right Side (HS: George Ranch/Club: Houston Skyline/ Verbal: Uncommitted)
Logan is the 13th ranked player in the 2022 class according to our State rankings. She is a teammate of Allie both in school and in club at Houston Skyline. They are one of the best club teams in their age group in the nation. To have one six foot plus left handed right side is awesome…but to have TWO is a dream. Logan is a tremendous worker off the court and has gotten her approach touch all the way up to ten foot four. Yes you read that right. I watched a highlight video of her touching ten foot four on the Vertec. She understands momentum and uses her arms well during her upswing, which helps her get higher. She is able to hit at such high efficiency both in the front row and also as a back row attacker. It is safe to say that she is one of the most dynamic attackers in the nation, not just the state. Logan is currently uncommitted as of now, but that will change very soon. She is at the top of a lot of programs lists when I speak to my college coaching friends.
Avery Shimaitis [2022] 5-11 Outside (HS: George Ranch/Club: Houston Skyline/Verbal: Uncommitted)
Avery is a wonderful pin attacker who lights it up on the court. She is a part of the famed ten foot club as she can get up to 10’2”. Avery is a dominant attacker for her Skyline team and for the Longhorns. She can bang with the best hitters in the area. Avery is a six rotation outside hitter and excels on the court. Her strength is undoubtedly her power. Her upper body is built for the left side. She will be a force for the foreseeable future for a college team. She deserves to be looked at and put on someone’s short list. She’s able to run high powered offense from the back row and she has this awesome and deceptive across her body off-speed cut back shot toward the deep zone one corner from the left side that she scores with. It is extremely deceptive and scores well. She will definitely keep the firepower going this coming year for the Longhorns. We currently have her unranked on our state rankings, but that will change very soon once I update the list in late June. She is moving up the list very rapidly. Stay tuned to see where she lands.
Alexandra Tennon [2021] 5-9 Setter/Middle (HS: George Ranch/Club: Houston Juniors/Verbal: Uncommitted)
Alexandra looks like an average player when you see her walk on a court due to her size and frame. But this kid can play. She is a high flier who sets for her high school team and also plays middle at times. Yes you read that correctly. She sets and plays middle. That is a very rare combination for a volleyball player. But, Alex makes it work and very well if I do say so myself. She is a gifted volleyball player who has some serious talent at the net to set at her disposal. She will be looked at to lead this team during her senior season. I think she is ready to take on that leadership role and we are looking forward to watching her at the helm of this team. She has a good base to build on as she was named the Setter of the Year in District 23-6A last season.
Caitlin Kurtz [2021] 5-4 Setter (HS: George Ranch/Club: Houston Juniors/Verbal: Uncommitted)
Caitlin is smaller in size for a setter. But don’t tell her that because she doesn’t play like it. She is not afraid to get out and play with the big girls on the court. She has great soft hands and excellent location to deliver great set. She is able to play defense like a libero on the right side and is a joy to watch. She has a very good vertical for her size and is still able to get her hands over the net high enough to slow an attack down. She will also be in a good role for her senior season at George Ranch and has a great arsenal at her disposal in a 6-2 offense.
This team is deadly to say the least. Their offense is just as good as any other high school in the State and will be tough to deal with. I wouldn’t want to match up with them in the playoffs. They are definitely a problem. The team who gives them the most challenge in the district would probably be Ridge Point, but I think its safe to say the edge has to be with George Ranch in this match up. I look forward to covering this team this season and think they have what it takes to be a true contender to go deep in the State Playoffs.
There are many stories of schools and club teams similar to this that we will be covering. Stay tuned for more great info. If you think your school or club has a good story, please contact me and I will gladly communicate. You can email me at nov8vb@yahoo.com.