Building a Program Brick by Brick: Inside Salem Volleyball’s Culture Shift
October 10th, 2026
When rebuilding a high school sports program from the ground up, success isn’t measured solely by the final score on a scoreboard. It’s measured in daily habits, incremental milestones, and the intentional creation of a winning culture.
Regaining Past Prominence
The Lady Tigers are just four years removed from a winning season, 26-9-1 in 2022. However, that is the only winning season for the program since at least 2009, as reported on the MSHSAA website.
In the 90’s, the Lady Tigers made three trips to the Final Four in a four year span. Culminating with a Class 3 State Championship in 1996. The team finished 2nd in the State the prior season and had a 3rd place finish in 1993. In 1982 and 1986, Salem finished 4th in the State.
For the Salem Volleyball team, returning the program to that level of success is on their radar. That transformation is currently underway under the leadership of first-year head coach Mackenzie Stoner.
Facing the challenge of resetting a program, Stoner introduced a powerful visual and mental concept that has captured the team’s imagination: the "Brick by Brick" mentality.
Laying the Foundation
Coach Stoner wanted a framework that would allow her players to visually track their growth and stay anchored to the daily grind.
"I wanted to find something that we could build a foundation off of," Stoner shared in a recent Q&A. "I wanted the girls to visually be able to see their accomplishments throughout the year. We work our butts off day in and day out, and I wanted them to always have a reminder that the work is paying off."
The buy-in was immediate. The team kicked off the journey with a dedicated "Brick by Brick" announcement video, establishing the concept right from the start. The very first brick laid on the wall? Tryouts—marking the absolute beginning of the rebuild.
From there, assistant coach Paul Stoner helped map out a list of targets. “I presented this idea to him back in June when he was just “Dad” and he began brainstorming with me before it had ever crossed our minds for him to be one of my assistants,” shared Coach Stoner.
Earning Your Place on the Wall
The team's locker room wall now serves as a visual reminder of the progress they have made. Every time the squad achieves a major milestone or team goal, a custom "brick" is celebrated at practice and added to the growing display.
As seen on the locker room wall, the bricks they have earned cover a wide variety of goals that are important to the program.
Program Milestones: Multiple program sweeps, preseason establishment, and major rivalry victories including wins against St. James, Cuba, Ava, Houston, and Eminence.
Grit and Resilience: Earning tough victories in dramatic fashion, including winning 5-set matches,executing a reverse sweep, and beating last year’s win total.
Execution and Stats: Dominant statistical performances, such as securing 25+ kills in a game, recording 10+ and 25+ aces in a match, hitting 90%+ serve percentages, and milestone assists like Josie Howard's 500th assist.
Rather than focusing solely on final outcomes, the system highlights every step that moves the team forward. The focus is on the process, not the scoreboard.
Even when specific targets—like certain conference or district matchups—slip away, the overarching philosophy remains steadfast: the bricks are about recognizing success and building momentum.
A Vision for the Future
Rebuilding a volleyball program takes patience, resilience, and unwavering commitment from both coaches, players, and the community. Through the "Brick by Brick" initiative, Coach Stoner has given Salem Volleyball more than just a motivational catchphrase—she has provided them with tangible proof that their hard work is cementing a bright future.
The Lady Tigers currently have a record of 14-14-3 with three games remaining in the regular season next week, before their first district game on October 20th. The winning season brick is well within reach.
As the wall continues to fill up, one brick at a time, Salem is proving that a strong foundation changes everything.
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