Wendi Zickfield, Cape Central High School

Charity Huff recently began her first real season as head coach of the Central volleyball team after spending last fall on maternity leave. And she said her new position has been made easier by strong returning Tigers players, such as Wendi Zickfield, a 6 -foot-1 junior middle blocker and outside hitter.

Zickfield, who earned second team all-district and first team all-conference honors last year, helped Central (9-5-2 heading into Tuesday's match) win the silver bracket championship this past weekend at the B.A Promotions 20th annual volleyball tournament at the Show Me Center.

"With the group I have they've all been playing together and with her [Zickfield] being on the team, too, they are all meshing very, very well," Huff said. "It's nice to come and have a group of girls all work well and to have [Zickfield] as one of them"

Huff said Zickfield is averaging about eight kills and five blocks per game.

"She has a lot of strength in her hitting and her blocking," Huff said. "She played a dynamic game along with the rest of the team this weekend so we could take the silver championship. She has a strong work ethic. She's here in the summer and she's here whenever we have our open gyms. She leads not only on the court but also by example."

Huff said she is happy with her whole team, which went 19-15-2 last season and lost in the second round of districts.

"We're right on track," she said. "As the season goes along you want to grow progressively stronger and you want to jell together as a team. I would say we're working on that and just this weekend with us winning the silver championship I think our team has really pulled together. They decided to go out there and play like we've been practicing and to get the job done."