By Rubin E. GrantEmma Brooke Levering approached the state cross-country meet just as she had any other meet this fall, focusing on herself and not the competition or the outcome.“I knew it was going to be tough and I knew I had to be focused to win it,” said Levering, a junior at Homewood. “I was trying to make it more about my time than about winning. I wanted to … [Read more...]

By Solomon Crenshaw Jr.Garrett Morris, an original member of the Saturday Night Live cast, had a recurring bit in which he portrayed Chico Escuela, a fictitious former all-star baseball player from the Dominican Republic.Chico’s signature phrase was, “Baseball been berry, berry good to me.”The same could be said of Mountain Brook High School football and the … [Read more...]

By Solomon Crenshaw Jr.Lulu Bateh made two unreturnable serves during Mountain Brook’s championship match with Saraland on Nov. 1 in Bill Harris Arena at the Birmingham CrossPlex.But it’s the second one that will live in Mountain Brook lore.When Saraland couldn’t return Bateh’s delivery, Mountain Brook claimed its seventh state volleyball championship since 2014. … [Read more...]

By Rubin E. GrantDr. Darin White is a firm believer in sports analytics, both on and off the field.It’s why White launched Samford’s sports marketing and analytics program in 2012 and added the first-of-its-kind Center for Sports Analytics in 2017.White is executive director of the program, which is considered among the best in the nation by leading sports industry … [Read more...]

By Rubin E. GrantToward the end of the regular season, Spain Park lost five consecutive volleyball matches against stiff in-state competition, including the top-ranked teams in Class 6A (Mountain Brook) and 7A (Bob Jones).The streak caused some doubt about the Jaguars’ postseason chances, with a quick exit in the forecast.The Jags have proven those doubts were … [Read more...]