An era of Dawson County athletics comes to an end as Tanya Porter, the first head coach of the high school’s varsity volleyball program, announced she is stepping down from that role after seven seasons leading the Lady Tigers.

“I have decided to step away from my volleyball coaching role at DCHS,” Porter said. “I have thoroughly enjoyed the last seven years in this role. I will continue to be at the school and will always be a loyal supporter of all things athletic at DCHS.”

(Story continues below)

While she will no longer be serving in a coaching capacity, Porter will continue her role as the high school’s graduation coach.

Porter was not only an integral part of founding the volleyball program in 2016, but she also helped build a team that became a contender within Region 7-3A and made multiple state tournament appearances.

Most recently, the Lady Tigers put together one of its most successful regular seasons, earning 26 wins, finishing third in the region and producing four All-Region players. 

"We appreciate all the hard work and effort Coach Porter has dedicated to our volleyball program," DCHS Athletic Director Bradley Fowler said. "She has done a great job starting the program and leading her teams to successful seasons, including several State Playoff appearances during her tenure."

Porter’s mantra throughout her tenure as head coach was ‘Team, Compete, Believe’ — which was ultimately reflected by the close-knit and fierce nature of her teams on the court. 

This sense of identity led to sustained success — over the seven seasons of the program’s history, Porter coached the Lady Tigers to 130 wins and led them to four trips to the state tournament, highlighted by a quarterfinal appearance in 2019.

Despite how relatively young the program is, Porter has helped put together a strong group of assistant coaches and talented alumni who could potentially step in to lead the team going forward.