The first day of summer workouts always brings excitement for football players and coaches alike.
With athletics getting ready to once again begin for the first time in more than two months across the state, the AHSAA has released a set of “Best Practices” guidelines for return. Those include everything from sanitation guidelines, a set of pre-screening questions and suggestions for main…
Most historical events don’t touch the sports world. In fact, sports seems to be what brings everyone back together after heartbreaking events.
Although Lindsey Smith, Jake Adams and I have remained close in the three-plus years since I left Pennsylvania, it’s still hard to get a sense of what’s going on for them on a day-to-day basis.
Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, countless people, businesses and organizations have been affected. Lives have changed, likely forever.
After a fine career with Benjamin Russell’s boys basketball team, Mike Goggans continued his success at the next level. After playing at then-Alexander City Junior College, Goggans transferred to Birmingham Southern where he played for two seasons.
One big benefit for football teams when trying to follow the AHSAA’s guidelines for returning to athletic activities Monday is, for the most part, they can do a lot outside.
Over the last several years, Benjamin Russell’s track and field team has grown exponentially. The Wildcats started small but increased every year — both in numbers and in accomplishments — and a lot of that had to do with the Class of 2020 student-athletes.
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“This is another one of those ultimate ‘not fairs’ due to the coronavirus.”
In all but one year since coach Lee Wagoner took over the Benjamin Russell girls soccer program, the Wildcats have earned nods to the AHSAA North-South All-Star game. That didn’t change this year as rising senior Abigail Sims was named a member of the South team Friday.
Although Benjamin Russell had only two seniors on its softball team this year, those two were particularly strong assets especially with having so many youngsters around them. Both Bailey Underwood and Haylee Hunter took on a leadership role and helped become mentors to the younger girls, an…
The sports world may look a little different but things seem to be starting to return to as normal as possible. Alabama state superintendent Dr. Eric Mackey announced Thursday schools could reopen beginning June 1, and the AHSAA followed suit.
Alabama High School Athletic Association member schools may reopen June 1, in accordance with Alabama State Department of Education superintendent Dr. Eric Mackey’s directive announced Thursday.
Since his freshman year, Ryan Slaten has been lighting it up for Benjamin Russell’s baseball team. The now-rising senior has been a regular starter in the pitching rotation and has proven he’s willing to step up in big occasions regardless of his age.
Tallapoosa Publishers Inc. is hosting a “Virtual Senior Night.”
The end of a season is good for two reasons. The first is teams are typically vying for state — or in some cases national — championships, and the other is those who have put in a ton of hard work start to be recognized.
Back in 2015, Benjamin Russell girls soccer coach Lee Wagoner already knew what he had coming. He was coaching both the varsity and JV squads and saw the camaraderie the seventh-grade girls were showing at that time.
The AHSAA North-South all-stars are always full of great competition for fans and even better opportunities for players, who are hoping at an extra chance at recruitment.
I knew this time was going to be tough.
Every football coach treats summer a little differently. Some want to focus solely on their squads while others like to get out there and test the waters with 7-on-7s and OTAs.
While there have been so many questions surrounding how football will get played this season and when practice and workouts can begin, teams on the gridiron aren’t the only ones facing the unknowns.
The entire AHSAA staff has been hard at work coming up with contingency plans for what high school sports will look like in Alabama moving forward in wake of the coronavirus pandemic. While there is still a bit of waiting game, officials are getting closer to making some set plans.
Just two short years ago, Benjamin Russell football coach Kevin Smith was getting his first look at his new team in an intrasquad scrimmage back in 2018. Since then, Smith has become a staple at the helm of the Wildcats, and he isn’t the only first-year head coach who got a taste of success …
In a new reclassification cycle, a shakeup is always expected and that was certainly the case for local teams this year. Previously it had been announced Reeltown will be making a jump to Class 3A, changing things up quite drastically, and that continued as the AHSAA recently announced its s…
It’s always a big deal if a team has a single player elected for a statewide recognition, but it’s even more impressive when the same team has three players honored.
It’s always tough to graduate a large group of seniors from a single sports team. With that comes a lot of questions about what’s next for the program and how it will replace so much talent and leadership.
Sports fanatics are going to have to wait at least a while longer for the return of high school sports in Alabama.
Sometimes a team is all about success, but more often than not, that success is built from a foundation. That’s certainly the case for Benjamin Russell’s boys soccer team.
There was one big theme for Benjamin Russell boys golf coach Wes Tate when describing his senior class: Hard work.
The best part about the typical spring sports season is there’s so much to go around. Youth teams are usually starting up while high school and college squads are gearing up for potential playoff runs. Plus, spring football is in full swing, so there’s plenty of sports to choose from.
It’s one thing to be a dual-sport student-athlete at the high school level, but it takes a whole new level of commitment to do so in college.
Although their season was completed, there was still a lot in store for Benjamin Russell’s wrestling seniors. The Wildcats placed second at the AHSAA Class 6A championships and were still waiting to be presented with their red map.
Over the years, there have been quite a few complaints about the AHSAA North-South All-Star football game and the biggest issue has always been the timing of it.
Even Za Stowes admits he didn’t have the senior season he hoped for with Benjamin Russell’s football team.
The year was 1994 and things were going extremely well for Central Alabama Community College’s athletic program.
Given the current situation of the coronavirus pandemic, there’s a lot of uncertainty swirling around what’s going to happen to the high school football season.
When Benjamin Russell football player Weston Blake awoke Sunday morning, it was to hard chunks of hail falling all around his home in Parrish Hills. Because he never heard a tree fall, Blake was shocked when the storm cleared and he and his family went out to the garage to assess the damage.
Andrew Caldwell and Zack Salter shared the same feeling after seeing their final soccer season cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic. And while nothing can replace that lost time, the duo has turned back to another passion of theirs as the rest of the sports world has become limited.
Dreams came true for several locals during this week in history as many area football players were selected by NFL teams during the draft.
Paying your dues and working your way up to being the head honcho is important in any field. But in the coaching world, it’s that much more important to earn your stripes to prove to others you’re cut out to be a head coach.
Haylee Hunter has had to grow up fast.
Apparently this was the week of the home run, especially back in 2005.
FIRST TEAM
PJ Eason, Dadeville junior
Although the spring sports season was obviously the most immediately impacted by the coronavirus pandemic as it was cut short due to the end of in-school instruction, those spring teams aren’t the only ones facing the unknown.
It’s always a big deal to break a school record.
With the coronavirus pandemic taking over people’s lives, it’s easy to get stressed and overwhelmed. It’s also easy for folks to get unmotivated without a daily routine and regular structure.
Caleb is once again joined by co-host Lizi to discuss the possible long-term effects on high school sports as the coronavirus pandemic continues.
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