IAC VOLLEYBALL: TIOGA'S FORD FOCUSED ON TIGERS 'STEPPING UP THEIR GAME' AS 2025 PRESEASON BEGINS (17 PHOTOS) (2025-08-18)

By TIM BIRNEY
Valley Sports Report
TIOGA CENTER — Longtime Tioga coach Des Ford is happy to get back at it, and is focused on getting her defending Section IV champion Tigers to "step up their game" as preparation for the 2025 season begins.

"I'm always happy to be back on the court," said Ford, who is entering her 43rd year of coaching. "It never gets old for me, I still enjoy being with the kids. I still enjoy doing what I do."

One thing Ford has never had a problem with is numbers.

"We have 28 ... I'm not sure if we're going to be making any cuts," said Ford. "We're going to watch how the week goes. And, I'll see how they manage the scrimmage.

"And the same thing for the JVs," she added.

Ford, who coached Tioga to the state final four last season, said the preseason focus for the Tigers is the mental portion of the game.

"The focus is getting ready to go mentally," she said. "We need to step up our game, and the girls know it. We talked about it at the Parents meeting last week.

"I've been around a long time, and I've had other strong teams that couldn't get past the Regional final. 

"I told the girls 'it's not a given you're going to advance again this fall. You have to come in and you have to be accountable, and I have to hold you accountable, and I have to hold you to a higher standard, and you have to hold yourself to a higher standard.

"I said, 'You've been there once, but it's not a given that you're going to go back — things happen, opponents change, teams change," added Ford.

Tioga will travel to Lansing Tuesday and Oneonta Wednesday for scrimmages.



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