The Indianapolis Colts aren't the only team with triplets the Cumberland Lady Skins volleyball squad has its own set.
Seniors Megan Hall, Amber Maggard and Deavin Stewart have been standouts on the floor for the Lady Skins throughout their high school careers. Now, as they wrap up their final season, they've learned the other qualities that go into being leaders.
"They're leaders on the court," coach Teresa Osborne said. "I put them in that role this year, and they've come up to the challenge."
"At first it was weird, because we were used to Ashley Creech and Lindsay Collier," Maggard said. "But after we got used to it, we just started doing it."
"After starting for the last couple of years obviously, you have to be good to be a starter," Stewart added. "So we know a thing or two, so it's pretty easy for me (to lead the others)."
All three girls have seen significant playing time all the way back to their freshman year, and Osborne said that level of experience has been a crucial part of the Lady Skins' success the past two seasons.
"It's the only factor in us doing what we do," she said. "They have the experience, and it shows."
The three girls bring different strengths to the floor for the Lady Skins, and they complement each other well.
"Amber's our multi-purpose player; whatever position she's in, she can play it," Osborne said. "Deavin is real strong at the net, and Megan is our big, tall strong-arm."
When asked the same question later, Stewart essentially mirrored the coach's assessment.
"I'm the setter; I set up everybody up for spikes," she said. "Amber and Megan are very strong spikers.
"Amber's kind of versatile she can do setting or spiking. And we all serve good."
Harlan County doesn't offer volleyball at the elementary or middle school levels like some other counties do. Hall and Maggard both had the opportunity to hone their skills at Arlie Boggs Elementary School in Letcher County before moving into high school.
Osborne said the lack of a middle school volleyball program puts local high school squads at a disadvantage compared to other teams in the state, noting that most of the surrounding regions do offer volleyball before high school.
"Letcher and Pike (counties) have strong middle school programs," she said. "I've seen them play, and they're more like a college-level team than the counties in our region.
"I'm not saying our girls don't have the capability," she said. "When they're working together, they can take them on. It's just that other teams seem more comfortable doing that, and our girls are fighting to do that. If they had a middle school program, they wouldn't have to fight so hard to do that."
Maggard noted that she and Hall, as eighth-graders, had to teach their high school teammates about the sport.
"When me and Megan came our eighth-grade year, that's when volleyball started at Cumberland," she said. "Going into that and knowing how to serve and bump and everything, we had to show the high schoolers how to do it. Having experience before high school helped."
A win over Evarts on Sept. 29 would give Cumberland its second straight undefeated regular season district schedule and the top seed in the district tournament.
Last year ended on a bitter note for the team with a surprise loss to Harlan in the district championship and a loss to Lynn Camp in the first round of the regional tournament.
The loss to Harlan, particularly, serves to motivate the girls this year.
"Yeah, it motivates us," Maggard said. "It makes us (want to beat) Harlan even more."
With Cumberland hosting both the district and regional tournaments this season, and with a starting lineup comprised entirely of seniors, it seems this would be the perfect time for the Lady Skins to make some noise in the region.
"We have six seniors who start," Maggard said. "To be honest, I think next year "
"Next year might be a rebuilding year," Stewart said, completing Maggard's thought.
The Lady Skins saw several regional opponents at the Lynn Camp Invitational early in the season and did quite well at the tournament before falling to Corbin in the championship.
"We went to the Lynn Camp tournament and dominated," Stewart said. "I think we're ready for regionals."
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