St. Mary’s Catholic School is excited to announce that veteran coach Ronald “Ronnie” Howell has joined the basketball coaching staff as Assistant Coach for both the Varsity Girls and Varsity Boys teams, working under Head Coach Layne Huckabay. With more than 30 years of coaching experience at the high school and collegiate levels, Coach Howell brings a wealth of knowledge and success to the Tiger program.
Coach Howell’s career includes building the women’s basketball program at LSU Shreveport, where he led teams to four NAIA National Tournaments, coached four NAIA All-Americans, and earned multiple Coach of the Year honors. He also guided programs at Northwood High School, Bossier High School, and Byrd High School to district championships, state playoff appearances, and back-to-back state runner-up finishes. Most recently, he led Mount Olive Christian’s girls’ basketball team to its most wins in over two decades.
A graduate of Airline High School, Howell earned his Bachelor of Arts in Physical Education from Baptist Christian College (1988) and later completed his Special Education Teacher Certification at LSU Shreveport (1993). He and his wife, Suzie are the proud parents of five children and grandparents to four.
“We are honored to have someone like Coach Howell join our staff,” said Coach Huckabay. “His knowledge and experience will be invaluable as we work to bring St. Mary’s basketball program back to the level of success and tradition it is known for.”
St. Mary’s Catholic School serves students from Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade. The school is committed to providing academic excellence, spiritual formation, and opportunities for personal growth within a supportive Catholic community. With a strong tradition in both academics and athletics, St. Mary’s prepares students to succeed in college, career, and life while instilling values of faith, integrity, and service.
