Months before the Warren County High School volleyball team starts its annual quest to win District 6-AAA, the Lady Pioneers begin their climb toward the top on the stairs at Nunley Stadium.
Coach Franklin Fisher centers his offseason conditioning program at Warren County Middle School, where his team is able to make a quick walk over to Nunley Stadium for the hardest part of the day.
Running stadium steps has become the ritual for the Lady Pioneers, who began offseason conditioning Monday in preparations for the 2012 season.
Coach Fisher believes the hard work every summer at Warren County Middle School lays the foundation for the success his team has enjoyed the previous two seasons.
“Working out together in the heat, it brings our team closer,” said Fisher. “Team chemistry is vital for our success and you can always hear the girls giving each other words of encouragement on that last set of stairs or in the weight room.”
Though sprinting steps each day seems like something to dread, many of the players have started to relish the experience, including senior Megan Dishman.
“I love stairs,” said Dishman after Tuesday’s workout, drawing laughs from her teammates.
Dishman is part of a six-player senior class that is hoping to hit a milestone this season. Dishman returns for her senior season, joining Karaline Deaton, Blair Fisher, Kaitlin Lawrence, Caroline McKinley and Emily Newman.
The seniors will be after the 100th win of their careers and 20 wins this season will get the group to the mark.
With a busy schedule this summer, the Lady Pioneers should have plenty of offseason work under their belts before the season starts Tuesday, Aug. 14 against Franklin County on the road.
Warren County will begin work on the court Monday, July 23 when Tennessee Tech coach John Blair comes to McMinnville for a four-day camp.
Blair has been visiting  Warren County for several years to teach a camp for the Lady Pioneers, who have been joined the previous two years by Chattanooga School of Arts and Sciences. CSAS is scheduled to attend again this year.
The camp will conclude Thursday, July 26 when Warren County plays host to a day of scrimmages. The Lady Pioneers will take on CSAS, Tullahoma and Coffee County.
The final stepping stone before the season starts will come Saturday, Aug. 4 in Chattanooga. The Lady Pioneers will take part in the Chattanooga Choo Choo play day.
Much of coach Fisher’s decision to work out at Warren County Middle School during the summer is based on playing at the Chattanooga Choo Choo.
With most of the playday taking part at Chattanooga Red Bank High School’s gym, which doesn’t have air conditioning, coach Fisher wants his team used to the heat.
When you see the Lady Pioneers dancing at the top of the steps after another grueling day at Nunley Stadium, it’s obvious the team is already accustom to beating the heat.