Jets Volleyball Advances To Regionals

For the first time in program history, the Cumberland County High volleyball team are district champions and will move onto the regional tournament to face Community High School.

Ahead of their round one match-up, head coach Rodney Howard said his team can cater their defensive alignment and scheme to specific opponents. He said that when he watches Community on film he sees a talented team, but noted areas for his team to exploit.

“We’ll match up very well against them,” Howard said. “They have a pretty good middle game, but their outsides are a little bit weaker than their middles. So, we have very good outside hitters and if you don’t get hands up, we will hit on you all night long.”

In his first year as head coach, Howard said it was a pre-season goal to hoist the first ever volleyball banner and his team accomplished just that. He said a cornerstone in his program is allowing players to make their goals and holding them accountable to them.

“That’s the only real way that I know how to motivate them,” Howard said. “Make sure they’re setting their own goals, make sure they’re wanting to know where they’re wanting to be when they get out of that next game. And once we do that, they usually perform pretty well.”

This season, Howard said that his team has been consistent in practice, in games and in their attitudes. He pointed to senior captains Mallory Woodard and Carlee Williams as exemplary players and role models.

In the district championship, Woodard and Williams refused to come out of the game. Howard said seeing them give all that they could was inspiring to him and the whole team.

“A good team has a coach that’s a leader,” Howard said. “But a great team has players that are leaders on the court. Because me as the coach, I can only say so much, but if they’re on the court putting everything out that means a lot more than me saying something to them.”