ORANGE PARK - As a construction foreman of sorts, St. Johns Country Day School alum and former volleyball standout Jenna Williams probably knows what the foundation of a building is supposed to to do.

"Coach Traci Livingston built a firm foundation here in volleyball (500-plus career wins) that I get to build on," said Williams, who has been a construction manager to a major ownership company in America that creates capital improvements, takes over for Livingston after nearly a decade at Livingston's side on the Lady Spartan bench. "I get to bring some higher level people to the gym and I have collegiate experience that I hope will take us to the next level."

Note: Williams, just 31 years old, admittedly did not know who Bob Vila was in a comical exchange referring to her construction acumen.

Back up to the "higher level people", Williams is casually referring to her new assistant coaches, Madison Dill-McDermott, a St. Johns standout, and Jauhna Smith, a Ridgeview High standout, now working with the Jacksonville Jaguars, in the same era in 2015. Smith and Dill-McDermott played against each other in their high school heydays.

"I did not know that and they did not tell me," said Williams. "I know they are both assets to the program."

Williams hoped that her two high-caliber assistants can bring a level of next level thinking to the girls on the court.

"I think they know a lot about Madison here and at University of Miami and coaching club in the area," said Williams. "I don't think the girls know as much about Jauhna, who also was a standout in high school (four district titles) and at Erskine College, as much, but her skills will become apparent as she coaches them."

Both Dill-McDermott and Smith coached at area club teams and think their own playing experiences will give them insight to teaching the sport.

"I think it's all about breaking down the athletes weaknesses and to build on them," said Smith, who returned an coached at Ridgeview after her college days. "We strive to get them to a baseline of skills that we can improve."

For Dill-McDermott, the aura of St. Johns Country Day School's athletic success; girls soccer, boys soccer, baseball, track and cross country and even girls weightlifting recently, brings with it a campus camaraderie as well as a bit of pressure to succeed.

"There is that pressure, and a Final Four would be nice, but we are looking at a four or five year vision for the program much like what Coach Livingston achieved," said Dill-McDermott.

Williams did reveal that she had her own misstep as a youth despite her good fortunes.

"I got to do what a lot of young athletes strive for and that was to play at the next level at University of Mobile," said Williams, who was St. Johns first scholarship volleyball athlete in 2010. "But, I got complacent and kind of lost that dream. Traci Livingston saved me."

From Livingston, Williams sees her input to the program as possibly emulating Livingston's goal to create solid citizens on the volleyball floor.

"Coach Livingston was not all about the wins and losses, but in making great graduates," said Williams, a setter for Livingston with Rachel Brown as the top hitter for the Spartans. "My biggest push for the girls under my leadership is that you never give up. Athletes can always dig a little deeper."

Williams acknowledges that St. Johns has had strong regular season records (21 region berths under Livingston from 1997 to 2022 with two Final Fours 2001 Class 1A runnerup-2002 lost in state semifinal), but then dip into regions against a lot of region powerhouses in the past; St. Francis, Christ's Church, Oak Hall and St. John Paul II in Tallahasee.

"Our biggest local rival is Christ's Church Academy the past few years," said Williams. "We've had a few coaches meetings to set our agenda."