Makala McCrorey knows the Fort Mill High volleyball program and will get to know it even better by putting her touch on it starting next week.
McCrorey has been hired by Fort Mill to be the school’s new head volleyball coach, a year after starting the volleyball program at Great Falls. McCrorey was JV head coach for the Jackets in 2020 and a varsity assistant in 2019, before starting the Great Falls program last year.
When the position came open this past spring, McCrorey said she wanted to get back to the Hive.
“I loved being a Yellow Jacket,” she said. “It is close to my home and I love the atmosphere and the volleyball culture we have there.”
McCrorey has faced challenges in volleyball having started the Red Devils program from the ground up.
“When I say I started it, I mean they didn’t even have a volleyball on campus,” she said.
Fort Mill lost about seven players from last year’s 18-8 team, but should have a good group coming back this year. McCrorey said her expectations for the team is for them to give it all they have every time they practice or play.
“They (Fort Mill) had a lot of success from last season and I want to build on that,” she said. “From day one, I want them to know we are going to work hard. We are going to travel to tournaments and I expect them to do their best and give me 100 percent every time they step in the gym.”
McCrorey said she feels like Fort Mill can win a region title and is confident they can challenge Nation Ford for that top spot, along with other teams like Clover and Rock Hill.
A former Rock Hill High volleyball player, McCrorey comes from the Cindy Elder volleyball school of thought and adds another limb to the Elder coaching tree.
McCrorey also played college volleyball at Winthrop University for one season in 2011, before transferring to Ashford University. She is a preschool teacher in Rock Hill and has coached with the Carolina Union Volleyball Club.
Fort Mill kicks off their season towards the end of August.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
