Huxford named coach of the year

Helping the Eagles to a school record 32 victories and their third consecutive 3A state championship, Boulder City head volleyball coach Rachelle Huxford was named 3A coach of the year.

“It’s a great honor to be recognized by my peers,” Huxford said. “I give all the credit to the kids for wanting to be coachable and making my job so easy.”

Helping build the Eagles into a juggernaut in the 3A classification, Boulder City dropped only two games all season in 3A play, outscoring their opponents 42-2, including a 3-0 victory over Sunrise Mountain in the state championship game.

With no desire to stop anytime soon, Huxford believes the dominance will only continue.

“We have great kids here who are passionate about the game of volleyball,” Huxford said. “They’re now starting to play club and year round. It’s great to see them all take it seriously. It’s amazing to think back to where we started and how much the interest has grown.”

Created just seven years ago, the program started out with just a freshman team and the hopes of one day competing on the varsity level. Fast forward, they’ve quickly become the gold standard over night.

“We’ve won three championships in a row and I really feel like we would have won back in 2020 had Covid not happened,” Huxford said. “When we started this program we had no idea what to expect but you could see us getting better throughout the years. I’ve seen the hard work these boys put in. Their success does not surprise me.”

Enjoying her time more than ever, Huxford said the goal is to continue the dynasty. With participation numbers rising every year due to the team’s success, she has more desire than ever.

“Coaching this game has been a lot of fun for me,” Huxford said. “It’s been a lot of fun watching the boys have fun with it. To watch them put in the work and to see their passion for the sport. I love what I do.”

Contact Robert Vendettoli at BCRsports@gmail.com.