James Wood High School 17-year-old senior
Sport: Volleyball
Position: Setter
Parents: Mandie and Kyle Plumb
Hometown: Winchester
What do you love about volleyball?: It’s a team sport, and everyone has to work together to be successful on the court. And also, the IQ part of it, where you have to have a strategy for what goes into the game for it.
Most memorable moment in volleyball: Winning states my sophomore year because it was the first year [I won states], and coming in, I think people kind of doubted our abilities that year to actually do it. So to be able to win it was really special, and it was also really intense. It was five sets, so being able to actually close it off and win it was also just a great game. (Plumb and James Wood defeated Courtland 3-2 in the 2024 Class 4 state championship.)
Most embarrassing moment in volleyball: In practice, that’s where most of the embarrassing moments come out because we’re all just either having an off day or goofing around, and sometimes some crazy stuff will happen or dramatics will happen. Sometimes we’ll just swing and miss the ball, or run into each other or slip and fall, just things like that.
Most difficult moment in volleyball: My most challenging moment has probably been having to sit out because I had a knee surgery over the summer, so I’ve had to work to recover from that, and to be able to play this season. I’m still working through the recovery process of that. I think it’s been really hard. But it’s also taught me a lot.
Three people you can have dinner with, dead or alive: I’d probably say Tom Brady because he’s just obviously like the G.O.A.T., so just to be able to talk to him and see how fame has developed him [would be interesting]. And then, probably Harper Murray from Nebraska volleyball because she’s also such a spotlight for volleyball, and I’ve watched documentaries on her, and I just would like to be able to talk to her. And then Kobe Bryant, because he’s also such a great player and I know he overcame a lot of adversity with like injuries and stuff.
Biggest athletic influence: Obviously the support of my family, but also I had a coach, Ricky Spear, and he really shaped me into the player who I am today. He coached me throughout middle school and then up until my freshman and sophomore years. Now he’s an assistant coach at West Virginia State, and he’s worked at WVU, but he’s always just pushed me to be better, not to settle for where I’m at.
Favorite teacher: Mr. [Cory] Crenshaw. I had him my sophomore year, and he’s a chemistry teacher. But he also is really involved in athletics [Crenshaw coaches James Wood wrestling], so always just being able to go in there and talk to him about the games we had that week, or the meets he had that week, and he always just gave wise advice.
Favorite athlete: [University of Nebraska setter] Bergen Reilly
Favorite team: Nebraska Cornhuskers volleyball
Favorite movie: “To All the Boys” series
Favorite TV show: “Grey’s Anatomy”
Favorite song: “Cinderella” by Mac Miller
Favorite food: Boneless honey barbecue wings
Worst thing you’ve eaten: Country ham is way too salty.
Plans after high school: I’m planning to attend Stevenson University in Maryland to play volleyball and also to study business administration and physical therapy. My injuries probably [influenced] me that way [toward those fields of study], just because I’ve seen how hard it’s been to be the injured athlete. So I want to be able to help those who are in that position.
— Compiled by Joe Tuman