By Rubin E. Grant Alex Leath didn’t want to be left out. He had seen two of his former Vestavia Hills track teammates get recognized as Gatorade Players of the Year, and he wanted to join them.In late June, Leath did just that when he was selected as the 2022-23 Gatorade Alabama Boys Track & Field Player of the Year.“First and foremost, I am honored to be … [Read more...]

By Rubin E. GrantAlex Fourie has a simple goal in mind, and that’s what led the PGA golf instructor to form a partnership with Highland Park Golf Course.“We’re looking forward to growing the game of adaptive golf in Alabama and in Birmingham in particular,” Fourie said.Highland Park, Alabama’s top municipal course, and Fourie, the No. 1 one-armed adaptive golfer in … [Read more...]

By Rubin E. GrantIn the wee hours of the morning on May 19, Jackson Harris and his dad, Jamie Harris, were at Vestavia Hills’ baseball field chatting.It was a celebratory conversation. The Rebels had just returned from a late night at Jacksonville State University, where Jackson Harris, a senior first baseman, had helped his dad, the team’s head baseball coach, bring … [Read more...]

By Rubin E. GrantAllyson Ritenour just finished her first season as Spain Park’s head softball coach, but her relationship with Jaguars’ star shortstop Katie Flannery goes back longer than that.“I’ve known her since the sixth grade when she was at Berry Middle School,” said Ritenour, who teaches math at Berry and was the school’s head coach before taking over at Spain … [Read more...]

By Rubin E. GrantThe Vestavia Hills boys lacrosse team came up just short against Mountain Brook in the state finals the past two years.The Rebels lost by a single goal to the Spartans both times. But those heartbreaking defeats gave Vestavia Hills invaluable experience.So, when they met again in the 2023 Alabama Lacrosse Championships final on May 6 at Buccaneer … [Read more...]