News & Events

Norfolk Academy is thrilled to announce the appointment of Cecelia Howard as the new head coach and program director of the varsity softball team. A 2014 graduate of Norfolk Academy and a standout player for the Bulldogs, Coach Howard brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of success to her alma mater.

As a student-athlete, Howard quickly established herself as a formidable presence on the softball field. She was All-TCIS for five straight years and was recognized as one of the top pitchers in Hampton Roads. She attended Longwood University, where she majored in elementary education while serving as a teaching intern for Breakthrough at Norfolk Academy in the summers. After graduating from Longwood, she served as a fourth-grade teacher for Virginia Beach Public Schools from 2018-2022.  

Coach Howard has been the head coach at Princess Anne High School for the past two years and was recently named the 2023 Region 5 Coach of the Year by the VHSL. Before coaching at Princess Anne, she served at Norfolk Academy as an assistant coach for three seasons and Co-Head Coach in 2021.

Coach Howard will be taking over the reins from former Head Coach Garrett Bird, who has led the softball program successfully for two years and continues to serve as an Upper School physics teacher and co-director of our Engineering, Design, and Innovation Fellows Program, as well as a coach for our varsity football team.

Coach Howard’s appointment is a homecoming, and her passion for Norfolk Academy and its softball program is palpable. Her deep-rooted connection to the school and her determination to uphold its legacy of excellence make her an ideal choice to lead the softball team into the future.

“I am honored and excited to return to Norfolk Academy as the head coach of the softball team," she said. “Norfolk Academy holds a special place in my heart, and I am eager to work with the talented student-athletes here. Together, we will strive for greatness, both on and off the field."

Athletics program website