Cumberland County High School Head Volleyball Coach Rodney Howard is prioritizing veteran leadership and technical consistency as the program prepares for the 2026 season with its largest senior class in recent years.
Coach Rodney Howard said the presence of six seniors on the roster provides a significant boost to the team’s overall confidence and on-court intelligence. Howard said the program typically operates with only two or three seniors per season, making this year’s veteran depth a unique advantage for the Lady Jets.
“You know, when you got six seniors out on the court and they all have experience, you know, they all have at least six years experience playing volleyball, it’s really special and and you see a lot faster play out of it as well,” Howard said.
Howard said the experience of the senior core allows the team to execute advanced transitions and defensive reads that younger players often struggle to identify. Howard said the veteran presence also serves as a developmental tool for underclassmen who have earned spots on the varsity roster.
“It’s very valuable to watch and see how older kids play, how they move, how they react, what their positions looks like when you play it at a high level,” Howard said. “So, I think it’s so valuable to, to be able just to sit on the bench.”
The coaching staff utilized a serving machine this summer to help players reach a goal of 10,000 repetitions each. Howard said the high-volume training focused on serve receive and passing to ensure the team can effectively set up its offensive plays.
“I mean, I always say if you can’t pass, you can’t play,” Howard said. “So I’m very big on serve receive, being able to pass a ball up so we can set a play up.”
Howard said the team features high-caliber middle hitters but must improve its accuracy in outside hitting and setting to reach an elite level. Howard said the program is working to fill a void left by a graduated setter by developing Jersey Myers and other players to be more deceptive with their second-set attacks.
“We lost one of our best setters that we’ve ever had at Cumberland County last year,” Howard said. “So we have some big shoes to fill.”
The roster includes middle hitter Ivy Watson, who Howard said currently holds the school record for career kills. Howard said the defense is anchored by Libero Ava Sattner, whom he described as one of the best passers he has coached.
“Ava is probably one of the best passers I’ve ever coached in my entire life and she is one of the kids that is pretty much the rock of our defense,” Howard said. “Um, so she’s going to be able to get a lot of digs up.”
Beyond athletic performance, Howard said several players are distinguished by their academic and community commitments. Howard said Willow Bordeaux balances a full-time job and church volunteer work at Bethlehem Baptist Church, while Lana Howard is pursuing an associate degree through middle college while participating in ROTC.
“Those two girls are just outstanding people,” Howard said. “And, I, I couldn’t ask for anybody better because that’s, that’s two of the nicest people I’ve ever encountered.”
