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PAGE 5 August E-edition 2025
AHSAA honors 'Making a Difference' Recipients
Six individuals, and for the first time, one couple, were recognized as “Making a Difference” recipients at the 2025 AHSAA Championship Coaches Awards banquet held at the Montgomery Renaissance Hotel and Convention Center. The Making a Difference recipients were nominated by their schools or communities for their life example dedicated to helping mold the students and co-workers in positive ways through their careers as educators. One individual from each of the seven AHSAA classifications were selected from a field of 79 nominations, the second pool of nominees since the award was instituted in 2011. Their recognition was a major highlight of the 2024 AHSAA Summer Conference managed by the Alabama High School Athletic Directors & Coaches Association (AHSADCA). This year’s recipients included: 1A: Brantley High School assistant coach in several sports Johnny ‘Cal’ Young 2A: Westminster of Oak Mountain track and cross country coach Del Carrell 3A: Lauderdale County girls’ tennis coach Haleigh Woodard Williams 4A: Plainview High School’s parents, longtime teachers William ‘Bill’ and Judy Ayers 5A: Ramsay veteran offensive line football coach Cedric Blair 6A: Walker City Schools Superintendent of Education Dr. Ann Jackson 7A: Prattville High School girls’ basketball coach Erica DuBois The ‘Making a Difference’ motto is summed up by inscription on each recipient’s plaque: “We trust that you won’t remember us for the games our team won, but for the lessons we taught. Never forget we had your best interest at heart when we told you what you didn’t want to hear, we showed you what you couldn’t see, so you could be the person we always knew you could become.” Recognition of the ‘Making a Difference’ Award recipients closed out the night as the video presentation of each recipient summed up the profound impact high school educators make in the lives of their students and others around them. Also recognized at the event were twin sisters Lulu and Elle Gribbin of Mountain Brook High School, and Melody Jackson, now deceased, a former band student at Reeltown. The Gribbin sisters were named the NFHS Section 3 Spirit of Sport Recipients, and Miss Jackson received the NFHS Section 3 Heart of the Arts Award. Her mother Voni Jackson was in attendance to represent her daughter and accept. Only eight recipients nationwide were selected as Section recipients of each award. Section 3 represented the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Lulu Gribbin was attacked by a shark one year ago, and since then she has shown an incredible fortitude – with her sister Ellie and family’s help – and her example of courage has inspired the nation and has helped spark “Lulu’s Law,” which is before Congress and co-sponsored by Alabama’s U.S. Senator Kate Britt. Melody Jackson lost her battle to cancer but won the admiration of so many – especially in her community of Reeltown. Granted a ‘Make a Wish,” she chose to have her fellow band students receive new band uniforms. She passed away in February of 2024 – leaving a legacy of caring and unselfishness that has inspired her fellow students and teachers to follow her lead. The uniforms were delivered after her passing, and the band marched in those uniforms proudly displaying a patch in memory of her at last December’s Class 2A state championship football game at Birmingham’s Protective Stadium as the Rebels’ football team – also dedicating their team commitment to her memory – won the state championship. Additionally, all 121 state championship coaches were recognized at the dinner. The complete list of state championship coaches for the 2024-25 school year can be found at the following link: https://www.ahsaa.com/AHSADCA/2025-AHSAA-Summer-Conference. Several coaches were also recognized as NFHS State, Section and National Coaches of the Year as well as 10 graduating seniors who received the 2024-25 Coaches’ Children Scholarship. The $1,000 grants have been presented by the AHSADCA for the past 15 years. This year’s recipients included: 2024-2025 COACHES’ CHILDREN SCHOLARSHIP District 1: Adalyn Flournoy, Jackson; daughter of Cody Flournoy (Jackson) District 4: Drue M. Gagliano, Opelika; son of Charles W. Gagliano, II (Opelika Middle) District 5: Elizabeth Joy Bragan, Vestavia Hills; daughter of Joy Bragan (Vestavia Hills) District 5: Denton McDonald, Helena; son of Lucas McDonald (Helena) District 6: James Tapley, Oxford; son of Jeremy Tapley (Oxford) District 7: Shila Marks, Lauderdale County; daughter of Sonya Marks (Lauderdale Count) District 8: Landon Broadway, Kate Duncan Smith DAR; son of Tanya Broadway (Kate Duncan Smith DAR) District 1: Caden Kelly, Saraland; son of Jeff Kelly (Saraland) District 2: Jayden Parks, Brantley; son of Andre Parks (Brantley) District 3: Deon DuBois, Prattville; son of Erica DuBois (Prattville)
Photo by David Holtsford, AHSAA
The coaches who earned NFHS Coaches State Coach of the Year (for the 2023-24 school year) included: NFHS COACHES ASSOCIATION STATE COACH OF THE YEAR • Caleb Hoyle, Corner (Baseball) • Anthony Hayes, Jackson (Boys Basketball) • Blake Laney, Jasper (Girls Basketball) The 2025 Making a Difference Award recipients include, front row from left: Dr. Ann Jackson, Jasper City Schools (6A); Judy Ayers, Plainview HS (4A); Erica DuBois, Prattville HS (7A); Johnny ‘Cal’ Young, Brantley HS (1A); Back row: Cedric Blair, Ramsay HS (5A); Bill Ayers, Plainview HS (4A); Haleigh Woodard Williams, Lauderdale County HS (3A); and Dale Carrell, Westminster-Oak Mountain School (1A).
• Stephen Hobbs, Spain Park (Boys Bowling) • Zachary Blume, Southside (Girls Bowling)
• Katherine Terino, Vestavia Hills (Boys Cross Country) • Mark Marshall, Whitesburg Christian (Girls Cross Country) • Kirk Johnson, Montgomery Catholic (Football)
• Keat Litton, Spain Park (Boys Golf) • Craig Kiker, Alexandria (Girls Golf) • David DiPiazza, Oak Mountain (Boys Soccer) • Charlie Brightwell, Saint James (Girls Soccer) • Travis Barnes, Athens (Softball)
• Dusty Heath Thomas, Boaz (Boys Swimming & Diving) • Ryan Rhoades, Bob Jones (Girls Swimming & Diving) • William Hart, Houston Academy (Boys Tennis) • Haleigh Woodard Williams, Lauderdale County (Girls Tennis) • Jeff Sparks, Northridge (Boys Track & Field (Indoor) • Scotty Sanderson, Hamilton (Boys Track & Field (Outdoor) • Susan Seals, Marion County (Girls Track & Field (Outdoor) • Julie B. Gordon, The Montgomery Academy (Girls Volleyball) • Andrew Fulmer, Weaver (Boys Wrestling) NFHS SECTION COACH OF THE YEAR • Katherine Terino, Vestavia Hills (Boys Cross Country) • Dusty Heath Thomas, Anniston (Boys Swimming & Diving) • Haleigh Woodard Williams, Lauderdale County (Girls Tennis) • Julie B. Gordon, The Montgomery Academy (Girls Volleyball) AHSADCA ATHLETIC DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
The AHSADCA also announced former Auburn High School Athletic Director Dan Norton as AHSAA Athletic Director the Year. Norton oversaw one of the state’s most comprehensive high school athletic programs at Auburn and also served as a mentor to many other athletic directors across the state. AHSADCA PAST PRESIDENT’S AWARD Huntsville High School head volleyball coach and athletic director Melanie Donahoo was presented the AHSADCA Past President’s Award as well. She has served as an officer in the AHSADCA for several years and was its president in 2024-25. She was also inducted into the AHSAA Hall of Fame last March. SPORTSMANSHIP AWARDS The AHSAA Sportsmanship Schools Awards Luncheon was highlight of the final day’s activities. This year, 114 high schools in the AHSAA were recognized for having no ejections and no sportsmanship fine. This number is up from the 106 schools recognized in 2023-24. Ten schools received a special $1,000 sportsmanship grant – bringing the total provided to schools since 2008 to $142,000.
South All-Star Volleyball Team Earns 3-1 Victory over North All-Stars
The South Alabama High School Volleyball All-Star team jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the 29th North-South All-Star volleyball competition and finished with a 3-1 victory. The South swept basketball, baseball, golf, softball and volleyball during the 2025 All-Star Sports week. The North All-starts swept cross country, and the two sides split the tennis and soccer competition to finish 9-4-1 on the week. The South Volleyball team jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the two sets thanks to the balanced play of the front row led by Daphne’s Ella Lomax, Charli Pearce of Saraland, Rehobeth’s Kryslin Martin, and Bayside Academy’s talented 6-foot-3 outside hitter Haley Robinson. Setter Libby Rogers of Fairhope managed the attacks with her assists. The North’s Millie Burgess of Vestavia Hills and Kendall Buckley of Bob Jones stepped up, however, and helped their team claw back into the match as the North won the third set. In the end, Lomax delivered four key kills to close out the fourth set. Lomax earned South MVP honors finishing with nine kills and three digs. M.K. Whitehurst, served four aces to separate the teams late in the final set and she finished with five aces. Martin had nine kills, Pearce and Bennett Buolo of St. Paul’s Episcopal added six kills each, Robinson had five, and Cami Huff of McGill-Toolen Catholic had five. Libby Rogers finished with 12 assists and nine digs, and Baylee Rogers of Prattville Christian had 14 for the South Burgess totaled 17 kills to earn MVP honors for the North All-stars. Buckley had 11 plus 10 digs. Kennedy Moss of Huntsville totaled eight. Setter Cailyn Kyes dished out 29 assists and totaled eight digs. The Coaches for the South All-starts were Brian Wheatley of Auburn and Wing Brett of UMS-Wright. The North all-star volleyball coaches were Jennifer Mann of Pleasant Valley and Shelby Grace Jones of Arab.
Photo by David Holtsford, AHSAA
AHSAA Associate Director Brian McRae and Assistant Director Tara Osborne congratulate North-South Volleyball MVPs Millie Burgess of Vestavia Hills (North) and Ella Lomax of Daphne (South).
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