Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — The Hayden High School girls sports programs have been here before — recently, even. The Tigers girls entered school in 2008 with new coaches in their primary team programs — volleyball and basketball — and reeled off a strong season in volleyball and a great one in basketball.

On Tuesday, again facing a coaching overhaul, the Tigers will try to start off a new season on the right note. And they may, once again, have just the players in place to do that.

“I am very fortunate,” said coach Holli Palmer, who took over the program this summer after numerous other coaching stints in the region.

“The coach before me definitely helped develop a strong program, a competitive program,” she said. “I have six seniors and they all have great leadership skills.”

That senior class is led by towers Erin Koehler and Aubree Haskins, both of whom approach 6 feet and return with loads of experience from their junior season.

They’ll be joined by a group of veteran seniors with similar experience in Brette Frentress, Jacie Temple and McCoy Howe.

“The great thing about it is they’re tough, and we have younger girls that are pushing them hard,” Palmer said.

Palmer comes to Hayden after coaching with the Steamboat Springs-based Whiteout volleyball club. She also coached the West Grand High School team last year after having grown up in Kremmling. She played collegiately at Colorado College.

The team isn’t expecting to adopt a drastically new look as it starts play at 6 p.m. Tuesday at home against Rifle.

“It’s different takes on the same game,” said Koehler, who joined Haskins and Frentress in earning all-district honors a year ago.

“A new coach brings a new attitude,” Koehler said. “All of our heads are in the right place and we’re ready to get started. We want to see what we can do.”

To reach Joel Reichenberger, call 970-871-4253 or email jreichenberger@SteamboatToday.com