For the second time in five years, Groth led her Trophy Club Byron Nelson team to a UIL state championship sweeping Houston Stratford, 25-20, 25-13, 25-14, in the Class 6A Division II game Saturday at the Culwell Center in Garland.
Groth is responsible for both state championships in the program with the first coming in 2019.
“This is a completely different feeling than the first one,” Groth said. “In 2019, we knew we had enough to get it done. We had a load of talent and a ton of pressure on us to win it all. This year was a little more fun, because we knew we had a talented roster, but we weren’t sure how good in August with some injuries that happened.
“We went to a tournament in Hawaii and won there and then when we got to district we knew we had a great chance. This team was full of winner and though we might not might be perfect we were going to win. It reminded me of the 2007 state team I played with at Amarillo High.”
Groth — an All-American at the University of Oklahoma and arguably the greatest player to ever come out of Amarillo High, helping lead the Lady Sandies to back-to-back state titles in 2006-2007 — is the oldest daughter of Hall of Fame AHS coach, Jan Barker.
Jan‘s Lady Sandies team’s won 10 state championships and compiled a record of 1,116-175 in 31 seasons before she retired in 2017.
Barker is proud to carry on that family legacy and equally proud of what’s going how much of an impact the Texas Panhandle has had on volleyball not only in the state but across the country.
“We talk about it a lot,” Groth said. “There are a lot of Texas Panhandle people coaching in the Metroplex and when I talk to them it’s the same answer. I think you see volleyball successful in the Texas Panhandle because everyone up there puts in the hard work. We know we had to earn it and do the job the right way. I was proud of Randall, I was proud of Bushland and for Stormi (Lancaster) Snider for winning her first championship. I’m proud to be from Amarillo. I still have a deep connection to the Texas Panhandle.”
