By Lee Davis When Spain Park coach Shawn Raney talks about great seasons in Jaguar football history, he’s just as likely to discuss 2007 as he is 2015. That may seem strange because Raney wasn’t Spain Park’s coach in the 2007 season. But there’s a lesson from that year that he wants his players to carry into 2016. “The last time Spain Park reached the state championship … [Read more...]
39th Parallel: Anderson and Vestavia Just Keep Winning
By Lee DavisAs Buddy Anderson enters his 39th season as head football coach of the Vestavia Hills Rebels, he’s become accustomed to the media questions about his possible retirement date. His answer to the question now is similar to what it was 10 years ago, and probably what it will be 10 years in the future, assuming Anderson still is coaching. “Coaching is what God … [Read more...]
Opening Volley: Mountain Brook Aims for Third Straight 7A Title
By Lee Davis After winning two consecutive Class 7A state volleyball championships, the Mountain Brook Lady Spartans might be automatically favored to earn their third consecutive blue trophy. But taking the prize might not be quite that simple. Yes, Mountain Brook was imposing last season, posting a 57-6 record climaxed by a sweep of McGill-Toolen to win a second straight … [Read more...]
Krystle Clear: Former Hoover Standout Comes Home to Coach
By Lee Davis It’s been 15 years since Krystle Johnson picked up her high school diploma, but she still bleeds orange and black. Johnson earned all-state honors as a center while leading the Hoover Lady Bucs to the Class 6A basketball title in 2001. Although she played college ball at UCLA and the University of Alabama, the lure of her high school roots remained strong. Her … [Read more...]
Opinion Role: BSC’s Natalie Davis Takes the Public Pulse
By Lee Davis When Natalie Davis accepted a position as a political science professor at Birmingham-Southern College in 1972, she never saw it as a long-term proposition. “I had gotten my undergraduate degree from Stetson University in Florida,” Davis recalled. “I thought I’d teach at Southern for two or three years and go back to Florida. Instead, my husband and I fell in … [Read more...]