By Rubin E. Grant Addison Tierney didn’t plan on following in her mother’s footsteps. It just turned out that way. When she was a little girl, Tierney tried several activities, including dance and softball. One day her mother, Ashley Tierney, asked her if she wanted to try soccer, and Addison said sure. Little did Addison Tierney know that would put her on the same path her … [Read more...]
Moving On: Ledbetter Ready for Samford After ‘Disappointing’ End to the High School Baseball Season
By Rubin E. Grant Colton Ledbetter probably will always wonder what might have been. Spain Park’s 6-foot senior center fielder was in the midst of a career baseball season, batting .414 with four home runs, 15 RBIs, 18 runs scored and 17 stolen bases in 16 games when the season came to a screeching halt because of the COVID-19 pandemic. With 12 seniors, including eight of … [Read more...]
Hoover’s ‘Dangerous’ Bauder Earns All-State Honor Despite Shortened Season
By Rubin E. Grant When the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the remainder of the high school spring sports seasons in March, it ended the soccer career of one of the state’s most lethal players. At least that’s how Hoover soccer coach Kris Keplinger described senior forward Sam Bauder. “As a soccer player, he was dangerous,” Keplinger said. “He created problems … [Read more...]
The Relay: First-time Author Compares Christianity to a Relay, not a Marathon
By Rubin E. Grant George Shamblin had heard the expression “Christianity isn’t a sprint, but a marathon,” for a number of years. But the more he thought about it, the more Shamblin’s sentiments about the description evolved. Eventually, he came to another conclusion. “At any given time, Christianity is never more than a generation from extinction,” Shamblin said. “I’ve seen … [Read more...]
Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Hoover’s Kyle Forstman Finds Family in Adoptive Fatherhood
By Emily Williams When Kyle Forstman looked back on his introduction to the adoption process, through his son Jeffrey, he penned a narrative that begins and ends with a pen. It describes his transition from bachelor life to fatherhood and how his quick decision to make that change became the greatest accomplishment of his life. “The Judge laid out the official documents on … [Read more...]