By Lee DavisBelieve it or not, Sara Carr’s introduction to volleyball came comparatively late in life.“I started playing basketball in first grade, but I was in seventh grade when I first played volleyball,” she said. “The skill set is a little different, so I probably wasn’t physically ready to play volleyball any earlier than that.”Maybe not, but her volleyball … [Read more...]
Good Times: Birmingham Swim League Celebrates 50 Years
By Lee DavisJack Barnacastle coached future Olympian Billy Forrester and several future college All-Americans in his days as a swim coach.He coached many more future husbands, fathers, wives and mothers.They were all special to him.For four decades, Barnacastle was one of the top swim coaches in the Birmingham area, but with his modest nature, he won’t talk much … [Read more...]
‘One-on-One Time’ McCants and The Arc to Host Special Needs Football Camp
By Kaitlin CandelariaUAB isn’t the only one bringing football to Birmingham; NFL-player Matt McCants is partnering with The Arc of Jefferson County to offer a football camp for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.McCant hails from Mobile and played football at the University of Alabama at Birmingham before being drafted to the New … [Read more...]
Cannon Fire: Hoover Native Successfully Defends State Amateur Title
By Ian ThompsonLeading after every round, defending champion Will Cannon successfully defended his title in the 99th State Amateur Championship at Mountain Brook Club on Sunday.The UAB rising senior and Hoover resident had rounds of 65-68-72-68--272, good for 12-under-par 272, and a four-shot win over Patrick Martin (68-71-69-68--276).He becomes the first player … [Read more...]
The Haynes Brand: Spartan Midfielder Named Gatorade Player of the Year
By Lee DavisAs a young girl, Leigh Haynes gave several sports a try.Basketball was fun, but she tended to foul out a lot. Her hustling, aggressive nature earned her the name “Bulldozer.” In a different mode, Haynes tried ballet, but it wasn’t for her. Something about the speed and aggressiveness of soccer made the game a perfect fit.“I started playing Sunday … [Read more...]