By Lee Davis Briarwood baseball coach Steve Renfroe knew from the beginning that he probably would have a good team in 2017. In fact, the 2016 season had barely ended when Renfroe caught himself looking ahead. “Normally after a long season, everyone is pretty much exhausted,” Renfroe said. “But after last year, I was so excited about what was coming I didn’t go to sleep … [Read more...]
Rebel Rewind: Vestavia Girls Hope to Add Another Title
By Lee Davis Most people in athletics are cautious when they use the word “dynasty,” but there may be one brewing in Vestavia Hills. The Lady Rebels girls soccer team broke Oak Mountain’s two-year stranglehold on the state 7A soccer title last season by winning their first blue trophy since 2007. The fact that Vestavia was chosen as the number one girls high school soccer … [Read more...]
Shauna’s Legacy: Samford Coach Yelton’s Charity Building Home for Ukrainian Orphans
By Lee Davis Over the past 15 years, Todd Yelton has built Samford’s women’s soccer program into one of the best in the Southeast. Under his leadership, the Bulldogs are perennial powers in the Southern Conference and have played in four NCAA Tournaments. In a country far away, Yelton is helping to build something far more important than championships. He is building hope … [Read more...]
No. 3 With a Bullet: Hawkins’ Jaguars Near Top of National Polls
By Lee Davis In 10 years, Spain Park coach C.J. Hawkins has built the Jaguar softball program into one of the best in the nation. The latest Max Preps poll ranks Spain Park as the country’s third-best team. To fully put the rise to glory in perspective, there was a time when softball wasn’t even the number three girls sport at the school. That changed when Hawkins came from … [Read more...]
Driven by Ford: Clegg Wins Bradley Johnson Tournament
By Lee Davis Before his death in 2006, Bradley Johnson earned a reputation for being not only a fine golfer, but a great person. Johnson likely would have enjoyed the outcome of the 2017 tournament that bears his name. Mountain Brook junior Ford Clegg defeated Houston Academy’s Hal Dove in the first hole of a playoff at Greystone’s Founder’s Course. Clegg birdied the hole, … [Read more...]