PETOSKEY — Over the past four years, players at various position groups have come and gone on the court for the Petoskey varsity volleyball team.
One spot they never needed to worry about was setter, occupied by Katie Parker.
The four-year starter was a staple in setting up the Petoskey offense and leader for all things in the back row.
But, even with Parker graduating, there’s still little worry about the position. That’s thanks to senior twins, Cora and Courtney Howard.
“Certainly hard shoes to step into after (Katie),” Petoskey coach Erin Luckhardt said. “Courtney and Cora got to learn a lot from her, so I think they picked up a lot of what she did.”
Petoskey Volleyball Preview:
From watching and learning, to actually getting in early in the season with Parker sidelined, both Howard girls picked up the experience needed last season.
“When Katie was still recovering early last year, they were jumping in and getting reps,” Luckhardt added. “They’ve been running with the varsity team, so you’re not bringing someone up that’s totally fresh.”
Both bring in their own bit of experience and both are relishing in the opportunity to lead a new and young Petoskey team ahead.
“It’s been a change a little bit from last year but I’m really excited to take on a bigger role and I think that with Katie’s help last year, she’s really put us into this spot where we prepared a lot and we’re ready to fill that bigger role now and be leaders on the court,” Cora said.
The team includes five sophomores or freshmen, along with two other juniors totally new to the varsity, making for plenty of players that need a little guidance.
“I’ve really enjoyed stepping up,” Courtney said. “Theres a lot of underclassmen here and I like to help them, see them grow and bring them up to where I am. I want them to be leaders like we are in three years time or four years time.”
That kind of motivation to make the next generation great is the leadership Luckhardt wants and needs out of her seniors this season.
Both sisters felt they got the same from Parker, as Cora pointed out.
“She just had a lot of knowledge to spread to us to help us get to where we are now,” she said.
Along with Parker graduating, Petoskey lost offense in Emma Mitas, Sarah Bailey and Alexis Cadarette, making for a pretty fresh and new lineup that’ll need to mesh early in the season.
From that young group, Cora has seen a willingness to get better and take coaching, whether from the seniors or the coaches.
“Some of them have had to take on different and bigger roles on the court coming to varsity and I think, even if they make a mistakes they’re asking, ‘What can I do better?’ or, ‘How can we fix it?’” Cora said. “I’ve seen them all grow in travel ball and our summer ball that we did in Boyne City. They’re going to do great.”
With both sisters being setters and key cogs within the back row, they’re about the perfect duo to represent an egoless team that they want to bring to practice and game days.
Both will likely see the court at the same time a lot of days, or there might be times when they’re in and out. They’ve had to wait for their opporuntity and sponge up everything they can along the way, learning what it takes to make a team click.
They see a lot of that same attitude in this group.
“They’ve just been so excited to learn everything, Courtney said. “Everyone has that drive to push it. Everyone’s here for the same goals.”
Reach Sports Editor Drew Kochanny at dkochanny@petoskeynews.com and follow him on X @DrewKochanny and Instagram @drewkochanny
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Petoskey volleyball’s Howard sisters embracing leadership role for young team
Reporting by Drew Kochanny, The Petoskey News-Review / The Petoskey News-Review
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Drew Kochanny, The Petoskey News-Review | USA TODAY Network
