GULF SHORES, Alabama – This season might be Brittany Brewer’s first as a high school volleyball coach, but it isn’t exactly her first rodeo.

Brewer, a former college volleyball and basketball player with coaching experience at the college and club levels, replaces Wing Brett as head coach of the Gulf Shores Lady Dolphins this season.

Brewer played volleyball at Wallace State-Hanceville from 2003-06, played basketball at Birmingham Southern from 2006-08 and served as a strength and conditioning graduate assistant for the University of South Alabama football team during the Jaguars' inaugural season. She also trained the South Alabama volleyball team during her time there, and coached with the Mobile Storm Volleyball Club in 2010. She served as an assistant basketball coach and as head tennis coach at GSHS from 2010-12.

Her first GSHS volleyball team returns seniors Jessica Chavez, Ann Banks Walker, Sierra Sollenberger, Erin McKee and Lauren Tait.

“These ladies have been, and continue to be, amazing leaders,” Brewer said of her first senior class. “We have a lot of young girls and these seniors are great role models for them.”

Juniors Ashton Boone and Maddie McAlister also return for a Dolphin team that reached the Class 5A Elite Eight last season and the Final Four in 2010. The Dolphins have won four consecutive area titles and have reached the Elite Eight eight times since GSHS opened in 1999.

“I hope to continue the success,” Brewer said. “My goal this year is to get these ladies back to the Elite Eight.”

Brewer said her players continue to get better every day in practice.

“The girls have really enjoyed playing volleyball and they see themselves improving every day,” she said. “They are having fun and working hard at the same time and as a coach, that is what I want from them.”

Senior leadership is the key to her team’s success this season.

“I have to brag on my seniors. They are all stepping up and becoming great leaders. They are pushing the younger girls and coaching them as well. The underclassmen have great role models to look up to and will have some big shoes to fill.”

Gulf Shores opens the season at Williamson on Aug. 23 at 4:30 p.m. and travels to the Capitol City Jubilee tournament in Montgomery on Aug. 24-25. The Dolphins will play in the Fairhope Back-to-School Bash on Sept. 1 and open at home Sept. 5 against Gulf Breeze (Fla.) at 6 p.m. and against Fairhope Sept. 6 at 4:30 p.m.

Gulf Shores will once again host the annual Shrimp Fest Tournament Oct. 12-13 featuring 22-24 teams.