TIFTON, Ga. — Practice continues for the Tift County Lady Devils on the volleyball court.

The team is entering its fourth season as a program and after previously serving as assistant, Dana Fletcher has taken over as head coach.

“I’m excited about being able to do it,” she said. It is still a learning process for her, she said, but one that has seen both players and coach dive in.

Tift has been to two camps over the summer, including one at Emory University. That one, she said, was “so sweet.” The team has also had coaches come down to help lead them in early June, the same crew that worked with them at camp. That has helped tremendously, she said. “It’s really helped us stay consistent.”

Their campaign will officially begin for the Lady Devils Aug. 6 when they play a tournament at Lee County. Following four road dates, beginning with Mitchell County Aug. 8, the team is set for its home debut Aug. 25 at 5 p.m. against Warner Robins.

Tift’s area debut comes during the road series. Aug. 22 at Valdosta, they will play both Valdosta and Lowndes. Lowndes makes up one-third of Class AAAAAAA’s Area 1, along with Tift and Camden County. Being the smallest area in the state, just one of them will qualify for the state playoffs. Camden is expected to lead the charge.

“Camden is very good,” said Fletcher, “but we’re going to bring something for them this year.”

They will see Camden twice during the regular season. Both times are on the road, but the trip is not as long as it could be. They play both Ware County and Camden in Waycross on Aug. 29 and Sept. 26. Besides Warner Robins, other home games for the team will be Valwood Sept. 1, a junior varsity-only match with Valdosta Sept. 19, Lowndes Sept. 22 and combined matches with Mitchell County and Sherwood Christian Sept. 12 and Valwood and Brooks County Oct. 4.

This season will mark the first that the Lady Devils will have had a four-year player: Karina Delgado. She is one of five seniors on the squad and while the only one with four years of experience, the other four — Dayana Chaney, Audrey McElhaney, Brooke Snow and Madison Spivey — are all returnees.

The Lady Devils also have a solid base of young players, with many underclassmen. Fletcher is hopeful of an eventual middle school program.

With the help of camp and experience, which she said “quadrupled” over the summer, Fletcher said they will be a much-improved team. “We’re going to win a lot more games,” she said. “Our returnees have brought more and more each year.”