Howland Tapped As New Blue Devil Softball Coach
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Michael Howland
Michael Howland has been tapped as the new head coach for the Water Valley High School (WVHS) softball team.
A graduate of Coronado High School in Lubbock, Texas, Coach Howland has a Bachelor’s degree from Troy University and Masters of Criminal Justice from The University of Mississippi. Howland served a 25-year military career in Army/Joint Special Operations, completing his service as the Senior Military Instructor for the Ole Miss ROTC.
Howland is a NFHS Level III National Coach in golf, soccer, tennis and softball and has been coaching off and on since 1996. He taught Law and Public Safety at Water Valley High School from 2017-2023 and coached golf, winning the 2021 Class II State Title with Girls Golf and Class II runner-up in 2022. He will be teaching government and economics at Water Valley High School.
He left WVHS last year to return to teaching at the University of Mississippi, but reported the opportunity to come back to WVHS was too good to pass up.
“When I moved here in 2016, my family never had a ‘home’ because of my military service. Water Valley embraced us and made us feel welcome. While I had committed to returning to Ole Miss in 2023, my heart was still with the high school and the young people who made my time there so enjoyable. When the opportunity to return was presented to me, my wife said it was God placing me where He wanted me to be and I am excited to be back,” Howland said.
Howland’s daughter is also a teacher at WVHS and will serve as the assistant coach for the Blue Devil softball program.
“The big hook for me was the opportunity to coach with my daughter!” Howland added. “That is a ‘Dad Bucket List’ thing for sure. I want to thank the administration and school board for the opportunity to become the next head softball coach and I want to use this platform to help young women become solid players and feel empowered to achieve success beyond high school. I am working with my assistants to build a competitive team that will fulfill the potential of the program and leave a legacy of excellence for those that come after us. Fortune Favors the Bold.”
