By Rubin E. Grant
Photos by Scott Butler and courtesy of the Bussey family
Colvin Bussey knew about his family’s rich track and field tradition, but he wasn’t dead set on becoming a part of it.
His grandfather, Randy Faust, grew up in Blount County and ran track at Cleveland High School, competing in the
440- and 880-yard runs. He went on to become an All-American at the University of Alabama.
After college, Faust was the head coach of track and field and cross country at Vestavia Hills High School for 27 years, from 1974-2001. He is a member of the Blount County Sports Hall of Fame.
Bussey’s mother, Ashley Faust Bussey, ran track at Vestavia Hills under her father’s tutelage from 1994-1998 and went on to run 400 hurdles at Samford University. She is now in her seventh year as an assistant track coach at Homewood High school.
Although Colvin Bussey began running track in elementary school, he also had an affinity for baseball. He competed in both sports until he reached high school at Homewood.
“When I got to the ninth grade, I had to make a decision between baseball and outdoor track since they are both spring sports,” Bussey says. “I knew I kind of wanted to do track, and I definitely knew after I started running the 800 and 400 (meters).” Since settling solely on track, Bussey has become one of the top middle distance high school runners in the state. Now, a senior at Homewood, he won the 400 meters with a time of 49.60 and the 800 with time of 1:54.33 at the AHSAA state indoor track meet in February, helping the Patriots capture the Class 6A state championship. “That was a great day for me, winning my first individual title and helping the team come home with the state trophy,” he says.
Bussey now holds the indoor school record in both events.
His success during indoor season has carried over to the outdoor season. In April, he finished a close second to two Class 7A runners in two meets. He ran second in the 400 meters at the Spain Park Classic with a time of 49.33 seconds, right behind Vestavia Hill’s Chase Webb, who clocked 49.13. He finished second in the 800 in 1:53.82 at the Mountain Brook Invitational behind Oak Mountain’s Cooper Jeffcoat, who clocked 1:53.29.
“The Mountain Brook meet is always one of my favorite events,” Bussey says of his strong finish. “It’s run at the perfect time, around
9 o’clock in the morning when it’s still cool. I was able to set my personal record.”
Although he competes in both events, Bussey prefers the 800. “I’ve got some top-end speed, and that’s my event,” he says. “It fits my body, and I know how to run it.”
Ashley Bussey has enjoyed seeing how Colvin has developed. “I am very proud of him,” she says. “It’s just fun to see how far he has come. I don’t get to coach him because I coach hurdles, but I get to see how hard he works behind scenes and at our house. It’s been an incredible ride.”
Faust is also thrilled to watch his grandson run. “It’s been such a dream for me,” Faust says. “I encourage him all the time and try not put any pressure on him. He showed an interest early. We used to go up to Homewood Park and work out. I coached him until middle school. He’s a natural runner. He has a fluid stride, and he has a desire to compete.”
This spring, Bussey has gotten an opportunity to run with his younger brother Hudson, a junior who is in his second year on the
Homewood varsity. “It’s really exciting getting a chance to run with him,” Bussey says. “We’ve run a couple of relays together. In one, he
handed the baton off to me and in another, I handed it off to him. It’s fun seeing him out there running.”
Bussey also has a younger sister, Caroline, a seventh grader who competes in hurdles on the Homewood Middle School track team.
Bussey will continue to run in college. He has signed with Alabama, following in his grandfather’s footsteps. “I’ve always been a Bama fan, I liked the track team, and I like the coaches,” Bussey says. “They really wanted me to come, and they were always checking on me. I think I belonged at Alabama, and I think I’ll succeed there, not just in track but also in education.”
Meanwhile, Bussey is getting ready for the AHSAA State Outdoor Meet May 1-3 at Gulf Shores. “I think it would be great to win the
800 in outdoor,” Bussey says. “I think it’s doable. The 400 would be more difficult. I also hope we can win the team title like we did in indoors.”
After the season, Bussey plans to compete in some national meets. “I don’t know which ones yet,” he says. “My goal is to break 1.50
(in the 800). If I can’t, then I think a sub-1.51 is something I’m capable of doing.”
