It is one thing to be successful, but another thing to find a way to maintain it over a period of time.

The Isabella Mustangs have been the class of the county in volleyball for quite some time and that was reiterated once again after winning the Chilton County Volleyball Championship.

That makes it two in a row and seven titles in the past eight years.

It is a string of dominance that is jaw dropping no matter the sport, and it did not happen overnight.

Glen Graham is in his 20th season coaching the Isabella program and has not only built a winning culture, but also developed a love for the game of volleyball by girls of all ages.

I have visited football stadiums throughout the county on Friday nights, and there are always those areas around the stadium where children run around and play.

However, the unique thing about Isabella is that there are always a group of girls hitting the ball back and forth to each other in a circle of sorts.

This is an example of the passion and interest for volleyball at a place like Isabella.

Many of those girls could prove to be among the next generation of great Isabella players.

Isabella is a threat for a deep playoff run each year, and last year advanced to the Final Four in Class 1A for the first time in school history.

That was a big step for the program and a hurdle that it had been attempting to clear.

Although Isabella also excels at other sports, it is volleyball that forms a sense of pride all its own.