Lower Moreland High School is serving up new opportunities for student-athletes with the addition of both girls and boys volleyball programs, marking an exciting expansion of the school’s athletic offerings. The programs were introduced following strong student interest and successful open gym sessions over the past several years, giving students the chance to experience volleyball in a fun, low-pressure environment before committing to competitive play.
Leading the boys volleyball program is first-year head coach Anthony Taylor, joined by assistant coach Nevaeh Taylor, his younger sister and head coach of the girls volleyball team. The siblings’ shared love of the sport and complementary coaching styles have helped lay a strong foundation for the new programs.
“This is my first year coaching at Lower Moreland,” Anthony said. “I had played volleyball and my sister, Nevaeh Taylor, did as well, so we decided to come forward to become coaches. We made a joint decision that we would do this together.”
The girls volleyball team completed its inaugural season this past fall. As a brand-new program, awareness was still growing, but interest was promising. Nineteen girls tried out, and all were kept on the roster as the program established itself. The team played nine games and two scrimmages, earning one win while gaining valuable experience.
“The girls were able to bond while playing to see how each other played, so we got better as we went,” Anthony, assistant coach of the girls volleyball team, said. “I think we set ourselves up to have a good group of girls starting next year.”
With the girls season complete, the focus has shifted to launching the boys team. Interest has already exceeded expectations. Nearly 50 students have signed up for tryouts, with numbers expected to rise even further. Ultimately, only about 14 players will be selected for the roster.
“I was very surprised by the number of boys who want to try out,” Anthony said. “I expected maybe 25 to 30 boys to try out. I think it’s because of the open gyms. A lot of the boys told me they have been playing in the open gyms and that’s why they wanted to try out.”
Tryouts are scheduled for March 2 and 3 and will include both physical fitness testing and scrimmaging. The coaching staff also plans to involve current girls team managers to help evaluate players. The quick timeline is designed to prepare the team for its first scrimmage, scheduled for March 9 at home against Mast Charter II in Philadelphia.
The Taylor siblings bring different strengths to the program. Nevaeh played four years of high school volleyball, while Anthony developed his experience later through college courses and intramural play. Together, they blend technical knowledge with teaching expertise.
“She brings a lot of the previous on-the-court skills that she developed, and I bring my instructional approach as a teacher to these teams,” Anthony said. “We complement each other very well.”
Beyond competition, the program is designed to build life skills. Volleyball requires constant communication, trust, and coordination — qualities that translate beyond athletics.
“What makes a good volleyball player is learning how to work together as a team,” Anthony said. “You can teach people how to hit, how to pass, how to receive and how to set, but it’s not as easy to teach them to work as a team.”
Volleyball also offers physical benefits for both girls and boys. The sport builds endurance because players are constantly moving on the court. Footwork is essential, and jumping strengthens leg muscles, while hitting and serving develop shoulder and upper-body strength.
“There’s a lot of conditioning in volleyball,” Anthony said. “It’s a very active sport. When you’re on the court in volleyball, everyone is moving the whole time. So it’s great for endurance.”
The sport also sharpens reaction time, as players must quickly respond to incoming hits and rapidly changing plays. In addition, Anthony emphasized the mental health benefits that come with participation in athletics.
“I think any sport, including volleyball, improves your mental health,” he said.
Importantly, Anthony stressed that volleyball is not defined by gender.
“I wouldn’t say it’s more of a boys sport just because we have more boys trying out,” he said. “When the girls volleyball season started, many girls had already committed to playing in other sports teams so they were unable to devote any more time to a competing sport like volleyball.
Looking ahead, the program is already growing. The school currently offers varsity teams for both girls and boys, but junior varsity girls volleyball has already been approved for next year, with hopes of adding JV boys volleyball as well.
The long-term goal is to build strong, cohesive teams that will remain competitive as the program develops.
“The overall goal for this year is to get a team that is working together well to set us up for next year,” Anthony said. “With girls volleyball, we have already achieved that.”
For Anthony, being part of building a new athletic program is especially meaningful.
“For me personally, I love being part of this new program that has not been done yet,” he said. “I also enjoy watching students pursue their interests in volleyball in a team environment. I’m really excited that they can now do this.”
Anthony also encourages community members to support the teams as they grow.
“This is a tight-knit community, so it would be a great opportunity for community members to come out and catch some home games,” he said.
