By Blake Ells Just one senior – Libby Grace Gann – departed Mountain Brook last season, and this year, the Spartans’ volleyball team will have none. But a large junior class is moving in to help the Spartans surpass last year’s season, in which the team fell in the state semifinals to McGill-Toolen 3-0. “Every day we come in, we know how last year ended,” said junior setter … [Read more...]
Football Has Long Been a Part of Renowned Artist Skipper’s Life
By Rubin E. Grant Internationally renowned artist Steve Skipper was once a standout high school football player. Skipper played linebacker for the Homewood Patriots in the mid-1970s, starting his junior and senior seasons. He patterned his game after two of the NFL’s most vicious hitters, Jack Lambert of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dick Butkus of the Chicago Bears. “I was … [Read more...]
Peruvian Import: Homewood Senior Loo is Right at Home on the Volleyball Court
By Rubin E. Grant As a young girl growing up in Lima, Peru, Alejandra Loo would look out the window of her family’s apartment at the volleyball players practicing on the court outside. She was fixated. “It looked like so much fun and when I saw the players mash the ball, I told myself I wanted to be able to do that,” Loo said. Loo told her mother she wanted to play, … [Read more...]
Briarwood Looks to Build a Team on Base of Two Returning Players
By Blake Ells Briarwood Christian’s 2018 volleyball team faces an uphill battle. The Lions return just two players from last year’s squad, and as they typically have, they’ll play up to a lot of 6A and 7A competition in the Birmingham area, including their opening match against 6A Pelham. But the latter is something to which they’ve grown accustomed. “I’ve been on the … [Read more...]
Rebel Rewind: Vestavia Hills Plans to Honor Anderson’s First Season and 1998 Title Team
By Rubin E. Grant As he embarks on his 41st season as Vestavia Hills’ head football coach, Buddy Anderson remembers his first season as if it unfolded yesterday. In 1978, Anderson was elevated to the head job after spending six seasons as a Rebels assistant. Vestavia Hills reached the 1978 Class 4A championship game – the highest classification level then – but lost 21-7 to … [Read more...]