Huxford brings home the hardware

Leading Boulder City High School to their fourth consecutive state championship, head coach Rachelle Huxford and her staff of Kurt Bailey and Chad Robinson were named coach of the year for the 3A classification.

“Our coaching staff has been honored because of the hard work of our kids,” Huxford said. “We have been blessed to be a part of their experience over the past year and the last four years for a good chunk of these kids. It’s because of them that we’ve been honored. I don’t believe we’ve done anything special, we’ve just been blessed to work with amazing kids.”

Finishing the season with a 26-6 overall record including a 3-0 victory over 4A state champion Basic, the Eagles proved they weren’t just the best 3A program in Nevada.

Picking up a pair of victories over 5A programs Foothill and Silverado and a victory over 4A Sky Pointe, Huxford is excited to continue to change the narrative about her small-town program.

“This year we proved that we’re competitive with 5A and 4A schools,” Huxford said. “I still don’t think our kids get the recognition that they deserve. I’m hopeful in the future that we can change the small school narrative and just be recognized as one of the best teams in the state.”

Fueled by her passion for the sport, Huxford is proud of what she’s accomplished in the last eight years since the program’s inception, hoping to continue the momentum the program has built.

“When I started with this program eight years ago, I had no idea that it would become so big, so quickly,” she said. “What keeps me coming back every year is watching these boys learn a sport that isn’t mainstream. I love the opportunity to give them a different outlet for sports. It’s been so fun to watch the light in their eyes when they figure out how much fun volleyball is. That to me is the rewarding part.”

Becoming not only the top program in the 3A classification but at the local high school, Huxford credits her players for the program’s continued success.

Dating back to 2021, the Eagles have amassed a 99-19 record during their four-year dynasty, including a 38-0 record in league play.

Their last loss to a 3A program came on May 14, 2019 to now 4A Mojave.

“I think it’s really cool that we’ve become a top program,” Huxford said. “As coaches, we don’t set that bar, it’s the kids who set it for themselves. They set out the goals that they want to be state champions and that they want to win. That’s where our success of our program has come from. It’s been really cool to watch these student athletes dedicate themselves and set a standard for our program.”

Looking to build off of the team’s success, Huxford’s next goal is to not only continue the dynasty, but the growth of the sport in Boulder City.

With players starting younger, and more and more high school students interested in the game, Huxford is hoping the next crop of Eagles become collegiate signees.

“I think the installation of boys volleyball in the middle school is definitely going to provide a great influx of players that already know how to play,” Huxford said. “I would love to get these kids playing younger and even on club teams. There are so many collegiate opportunities in boys’ volleyball, I would really like our boys to start taking advantage of them.”