The Danny Tullis Experience Begins at Mandeville

Mandeville volleyball coach Danny Tullis talks to his team during a summer league match on June 10.

Mandeville's Addison Hunter goes up for a block against Doyle on June 10.

Mandeville's Farrah Provance goes up for a kill against St. Scholastica on June 10.

Mandeville volleyball coach Danny Tullis talks to his team during a summer league match on June 10.

Mandeville's Addison Hunter goes up for a block against Doyle on June 10.

Mandeville's Farrah Provance goes up for a kill against St. Scholastica on June 10.

It sounded like a mid-season match, if you closed your eyes and listened to the sounds.

A huge swing followed by the loud thud of a dig and players calling out the block or who should receive the next set as St. Scholastica and Mandeville battled during the Skippers’ annual summer league on June 10.

And above it all was the loud, familiar voice of coach Danny Tullis, yelling forceful encouragement and suggesting where his players should rotate or move the ball. Only this time, the eight-time state champion coach was wearing a black Mandeville T-shirt.

The Danny Tullis experience has officially begun at Mandeville.

“It’s great,” said Mandeville junior middle hitter Addison Hunter, who is returning to the court from a torn labrum last season. “(Tullis) has helped me improve my swing a lot. I’m developing a better understanding of the game. I’m getting better at knowing where to go on the court. I’ve been reading the setter and the hitter better, so it has been great.”

Tullis, who usually doesn’t hold a summer league, said keeping the Mandeville league going was an easy decision.

“Summer league is something I don’t do very often because a lot of people are still involved in club and I’m still involved in club, but it’s been a lot of fun,” Tullis said. “It gives the kids an opportunity to get a lot of touches. I’ve had a really good time. They’re responding well to me. It gives me a chance to coach them in an intense setting, so they can get used to how I do things.”

After three seasons and two state titles at Slidell where he amassed a 110-17 record, Tullis takes over the Mandeville volleyball program from Rachel Schulingkamp, who stepped down after last season. The move reunites Tullis with his daughter, Ansley, who was an assistant coach at Mandeville last year.

In fact, Tullis took his entire coaching staff with him as Rachel Battistella and his youngest daughter, Ali Tullis, also made the move to Mandeville.

Now, the hard work begins as a young Skippers' team gets to know its new coach and vice versa.

“It’s about learning to strive for perfection, but understanding that you’re not going to reach it,” Tullis said. “The closer you get to it, the better chance you have to win. That’s the theory. That’s what we’re working on. The girls are willing to put in the time, and everything has been positive. Everyone has been energetic. It’s been a good start.”

While the preparation will move to the next level with team camps in July, Tullis said junior middle hitter Addison Hunter and sophomore outside hitter Farrah Provance are growing leaps and bounds during summer league.

“(Hunter) is starting to understand how she can get involved with the offense while we’re playing defense in terms of going dig to swing,” Tullis said. “A lot of times middles are out when you dig the ball, so it is all about learning to keep a little better spacing. It’s about learning to hit a defensive ball instead of a free ball. It’s a lot of little things, but that’s what summer league is about.”

Junior outside hitter Camryn Mahoney will return later this summer after tearing her ACL last year, but the Skippers are still without junior middle hitter Soraya Amorajabi, who tore her ACL in the spring, and will likely miss the season.

Hunter said she likes where the Skippers are headed this summer.

“We’re definitely growing all together, and there is a lot of trust being built,” Hunter said. “We’re becoming a team, and it’s great.”