How these 2 N.J. volleyball coaching legends forged the sport’s greatest rivalry

The coach’s gaze never broke as he called out orders while pacing the sideline.
His passion was evident. His unabashed fire was written all over his face. He couldn’t sit still as points were exchanged.
And when Chris Sheppard looked across the booming gym, he saw his reflection on the other bench.
That’s where Eric Maxwell stood, with the same intense expression, the same overtly hopeful look. The same demanding demeanor.
Maxwell and Sheppard, the girls volleyball coaches at Southern and Williamstown, have fostered a modern-day coaching rivalry and connection like none other in the sport — or, perhaps in any sport — in New Jersey.
Williamstown and Southern go into each season fully expecting to see one another in the sectional championship. They practice and compete with the other program framed in their mind, knowing that giving anything short of 100 percent will not cut it.
“You won’t get away with that when you are playing Williamstown,” Maxwell says to his players after a lackluster play during practice.
The same sentence, just flipped around, could be heard in Williamstown’s gym.
Maxwell and Sheppard both stand in the top four on New Jersey’s active coaching wins list. But the two were just getting to know each other in the early 2000s when Maxwell took over the Southern job from his sister-in-law, Cathy.
Sheppard, who had been at Williamstown since 1998, found motivation in the way that Maxwell ran the Southern program. And together, the two budding programs helped bring respectability to a sport that was long-dominated by teams in North Jersey.
“Eric was coaching circles around me for a long time, and I was really determined to get my program on par with his,” Sheppard said. “It is truly amazing to see how far these two programs have gone, and doing so with a mindset that’s been consistent for over 20 years.”
Back then, the teams were competing in the Olympic Conference before Southern eventually moved on to the Shore Conference and Williamstown to the Tri-County Conference.
In 2002, the first time that Sheppard and Maxwell coached against each other, Williamstown and Southern split the season series with one victory apiece. That all but foreshadowed a decades-long tug-of-war. In the regular season, Maxwell‘s Rams hold a 25-19 record against Sheppard’s Braves.
In the postseason, Sheppard and Maxwell are tied at 4-4 after Williamstown defeated Southern in the sectional final this season — a match that has become tradition when November rolls around.
This heavyweight fight was Southern and Williamstown’s fourth-straight matchup in the NJSIAA South Jersey, Group 4 sectional finals, giving Williamstown the 3-1 advantage during this stretch.
Both programs have become the gold standard in their respective conferences and statewide, winning several consecutive titles in the Shore Conference and Tri-County Conference. Between them, they have won seven state titles.
“It seems like South Jersey goes through one or the other each year. We have so much respect for one another and for the amount of great teams in this area. It’s been a pleasure being part of the growth of this sport,” Maxwell said.
As Southern and Williamstown have become mainstays at the top of the statewide rankings, Maxwell and Sheppard’s resumes have soared into legendary status. Maxwell’s 601 career victories are seventh all-time in New Jersey. Unsurprisingly, Sheppard is just six wins behind with 595 through Nov. 12 matches, sitting eighth all-time.
Hailing from the same section in once the same conference, these two have a comparable outline of success in girls volleyball. As far as coaching ‘rivalries’ go in New Jersey — there’s Maxwell and Sheppard, and then everyone else.
“It’s always been a relationship of respect. Chris is a great guy and is so easy to talk to,” Maxwell said. “If we‘re going to lose to somebody, falling to Williamstown isn’t a bad way to go out. If that happens, we want them to finish the task and win the state championship. We root for each other once one of us is out.”
There isn‘t a wall between the two during the season, either. Following a long bus ride – which happens plenty since both programs are renowned for traveling anywhere to play – Sheppard and Maxwell often can rely on a text message from the other. Whether it‘s a scouting report, a congratulatory text, or just checking in, it’s not uncommon that they will discuss whatever unveiled that day on the court.
“Whenever one of us wins, we’re the first to congratulate each other. We both have the same passionate and genuine feeling after a big win, but we can really relate to each other after a loss,” Sheppard said.
“Eric knows exactly how I feel after something like that. We are both 100 percent invested in our schools and our programs. We want to win so bad and we are just so genuine in wearing our emotions on our sleeve.”
It isn‘t hyperbolic that Sheppard and Maxwell are each shamelessly ’life or death’ on every point in any given contest. They pour hours of time and energy into having their players bought into the mindset of winning every day — and every play.
Though they can be critical, their constructive efforts have forged a path to several state championships, county/conference titles, and an irreplaceable status as one of the best teams every year.
“We want to make our kids better, and we both have our players’ back no matter what because we have that unified goal of winning,” Maxwell said. “That‘s why we are so excited and anxious on every possession.”
Their approach, success, and proximity has made the two undoubtedly interlinked. It‘s almost impossible to mention one of these coaches without the other’s name being brought up.
And that’s just how they want it.
“I‘m honored to be mentioned with Shep. He’s the best coach out there and he can push his kids to success every single season. He is the best coach that I have seen,” Maxwell said.
“It’s a huge compliment to be mentioned with the Southern program and with Eric,” Sheppard said. “I think the number of alumni and former players who come back to coach with us or watch our games proves that what we are both doing is pretty special. Eric is a fantastic coach and I’m happy that our name can be said in the same breath.”
After Tuesday’s win in the sectional final, the two coaches embraced at center court. The edge was worn off, and for the first time all day, Sheppard and Maxwell were not quite on the same boat.
Sheppard, filled with joy and relief, was met by a disappointed Maxwell, who was happy for his friend.
They each understand how the other felt deep down, but Maxwell and Sheppard know that this wasn’t the last round of Southern vs. Williamstown.
It has only added another chapter to the legacy of one of the greatest rivalries New Jersey volleyball has ever seen.
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PJ Potter may be reached at [email protected].