In 2006, it was eldest sister Malina and middle sister Anna ruling the court, helping the Lions to a third-place finish in the school's inaugural appearance in the state volleyball tournament.
The next year, youngest sister Debbiey joined the show, replacing Malina alongside Anna to help the Lions to a fifth-place showing at state.
Last season, Anna and Debbiey teamed up with fellow all-tournament selection Chelsea Dyson to lead the Lions to the school's first state volleyball title, over rival Grace Christian.
But when the Lions take the floor today in the opening round of this year's state tournament at West High, Debbiey, now a senior, will be the only Simmers to be seen.
"It is different, because I've usually been able to be right behind (Anna), supporting her," Debbiey said during a break from practice earlier this week. "But now I have to make decisions for the team."
When ACS coach Crystal Dyson took over the volleyball program in 2006, she inherited a team that had never had a winning season. But she also happened to begin the same year the Simmers' arrived at ACS. Since then, the Lions have been one of the state's most successful programs.
"They showed up and we've all definitely learned a lot together," Dyson said.
Anna Simmers was one of the dominant athletes in Alaska during her career at ACS. In addition to being a three-time all-tournament performer at state volleyball, she earned back-to-back Class 3A basketball player of the year honors and led ACS to a pair of track and field championships. She's now at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, leaving Debbiey as ACS's lone Simmers.
The sisters are close. Debbiey said she seeks advice from Anna regularly. She said playing with her sister helped prepare her for this season, in which she's had to step into a leadership role.
"I thought it was going to be harder, but she helped me a lot, so I knew what I had to do," she said.
Debbiey is a heck of a player in her own right. She, Anna and Chelsea Dyson all earned all-state basketball nods last season as the Lions racked up volleyball and hoops state titles.
But if it wasn't for Melina and Anna, Debbiey probably never would have stepped onto a volleyball court.
"If they hadn't been out there, I probably wouldn't even be playing volleyball," she said. "They played it, so I was like, 'Ooh, I want to be like them.' "
With Debbiey as its middle hitter, ACS hasn't lost a step since losing Anna. The Lions defeated Grace in five sets last weekend to claim the Southcentral Conference title and earn a top seed at state, and they're among the favorites in the tournament, thanks mainly to an explosion of interest in ACS volleyball that began when the Simmers' arrived.
"It's a huge program now," Dyson said, noting that more than 30 girls turned out for the team's first practice this season.
Without Anna in the middle, Dyson said her team has done a great job filling the void.
"They've all stepped up, which is neat because we didn't think we'd be as good as we are without Anna," she said.
Debbiey said she's confident the Lions can advance deep into the state tournament if the squad can keep its focus and play as a team.
"I think we have a really good chance of succeeding," she said. "We just have to stay focused and encourage each other."
Find Matt Tunseth online at adn.com/contact/mtunseth or call 257-4335.
Schedule
ASAA/First International Bank Alaska
State volleyball championships
At West High
Today’s first round
Class 4A
2 p.m. — Colony vs. Juneau
3:45 p.m. — Chugiak vs. Soldotna
5:30 p.m. — South vs. West Valley
7:15 p.m. — Dimond vs. Palmer
Class 3A
2 p.m. — Delta Junction vs. Dillingham
3:45 p.m. — ACS vs. Petersburg
5:30 p.m. — Monroe vs. Kotzebue
7:15 p.m. — Grace Christian vs. Mount Edgecumbe
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