HELENA’S SPRING SPORTS TEAMS PREPARE FOR SEASON
HELENA HIGH SCHOOL’S RUSSELL COACHES THE DANCE TEAM
As we say goodbye to winter, I am excited that spring is just around the corner. With the changing of seasons comes the promise of warmer days, blooming flowers, and the revival of outdoor activities that we all hold dear. Spring is a time of renewal, a time to shed our winter coats and embrace the sunshine with open arms.
One of the most exciting aspects of spring in our beloved town of Helena is the commencement of spring sports. Our young athletes eagerly await the
opportunity to dust off their cleats, grab their bats, and hit the fields once again. It is a time of friendly competition, teamwork, and community spirit that brings us all together in support of our local talent.
This year, our community has even more to look forward to as we unveil plans for a new sports and leisure complex that will not only meet our current needs but also lay the foundation for a vibrant future. The Council and I are working through financing options which should finalize in a few weeks . This
This year, our community has even more to look forward to as we unveil plans for a new sports and leisure complex that will not only meet our current needs but also lay the foundation for a vibrant future.
complex will feature much-needed playing fields that will provide ample space for various sports activities, from soccer to baseball and basketball, ensuring that our athletes have the facilities they deserve to hone their skills and compete at their best.
In addition to the playing fields, the complex will boast 16 state-of-the-art tennis courts that will cater to tennis enthusiasts of all ages and skill levels. Furthermore, we have exciting plans to convert existing courts into pickleball courts, a rapidly growing sport that has captured the hearts of many in our community. This expansion will offer more opportunities for residents to stay active, connect with one another, and embrace a healthy lifestyle.
in the future. By providing top-notch facilities for sports and leisure activities, we are creating a space where friendships are forged, skills are honed, and memories are made.
One of the best things that happens in April each year is the kickoff to our Old Town Live Concert Series. We start off the season on April 20th at Amphitheater Park. Headliner will be Galactic with support from Robert Randolph and Family Band and Rollin In The Hay. It is going to be a can’t miss show.
But that’s not all - the new sports and leisure complex will also feature a splash pad, providing a refreshing oasis for families to cool off and have fun during the warmer months. This addition will undoubtedly become a favorite spot for children and adults alike, further enhancing the quality of life in our community.
The development of this complex is not just about adding amenities; it is about investing in the wellbeing and happiness of our residents both now and
As your mayor, I am committed to ensuring that Helena remains a vibrant and thriving community, and the new sports and leisure complex along with the Old Town Live concert series is a testament to that commitment. I invite you all to join me in celebrating the arrival of spring, the start of a new sports season, and the exciting future that lies ahead for our town.
Together, let us embrace the opportunities that spring brings, support our athletes as they take to the fields, and look forward to the countless memories that will be created in our new sports and leisure complex.
Together As One, - Brian Puckett, mayor of Helena
Mayor Brian Puckett
Jennifer
Helena resident Bryan Pope works to showcase the stories of Shelby County Schools.
35 Taking the field
Utilities and Services
Cable, Internet and Phone
uAT&T Uverse – 1-888-708-0934
att.com
uSpectrum – 1-855-707-7328 spectrum.com
uC-Spire, Fiber Internet – 1-855-277-4735 cspire.com
Gas
uSpire – 1-800-292-4008 spireenergy.com
Power
uAlabama Power Company – 1-800-245-2244 alabamapower.com
Trash Services
uRepublic Services – (205) 631-1313 republicservices.com
Water and Sewer
uHelena Utilities City Water Service (205) 663-1670
LOCAL SCHOOLS
uShelby County Board of Education – (205) 682-7000 shelbyed.k12.al.us/
uHelena Elementary School – (205) 682-5540 shelbyed.k12.al.us/schools/hes/index.htm
uHelena Intermediate School – (205) 682-5520 shelbyed.k12.al.us/schools/his/index.htm
uHelena Middle School – (205) 682-5300 shelbyed.k12.al.us/schools/hlms/index.htm
uHelena High School – (205) 682-3650 shelbyed.k12.al.us/schools/hhs/index.html
uHillsboro School - (205) 864-7330 thehillsboroschool.org
THURSDAY, MARCH 14
6-8 P.M.
Helena Sports Complex
The inaugural Taste of Helena food festival will take place on Thursday, March 14. The event, which will feature food from more than 15 local establishments and highlight the city’s food scene, will take place at the Helena Sports Complex from 6-8 p.m. Due to the anticipated smaller size of the event’s inaugural outing, ticket amounts are limited. Should tickets still be available past the March cut-off date for registration, they will remain available until sold-out at a rate of $35. Those seeking tickets can secure them by registering at Forms.
gle/7vxcFWaiR4WpRPRCA.
SATURDAY, MARCH 2
Helena High School
Spring sports are now in full swing as the beginning of the spring sports season is now fully underway. Residents of Helena can enjoy multiple different sporting events played by students and the supporting community. Baseball, softball, soccer, golf, and tennis are now delivering their new seasons and featuring many examples of outstanding local talents.
EVERY TUESDAY AND THURSDAY | 11 A.M.
Storytime at the library
MARCH 1 | 5:30 P.M.
Helena Soccer vs. Robertsdale
MARCH 2 | 10 A.M.
Helena Softball vs. Fort Payne
MARCH 2 | 10:30 A.M.
Helena Soccer vs. Eufaula
MARCH 4 | 8 A.M.
Helena Golf Invitational
MARCH 5 | 4:30 P.M.
Helena Baseball vs. Oak Mountain
MARCH 5 | 4:30 P.M.
Helena Softball vs. Pelham
MARCH 5 | 7 P.M.
Helena Soccer vs. Wetumpka
MARCH 7 | 4 P.M.
Helena Tennis vs. Hoover
MARCH 8 | 3 P.M.
Helena Baseball vs. Auburn
MARCH 8 | 7 P.M.
Helena Soccer vs. Indian Springs
SATURDAY, MARCH 16
6:30 P.M.
Helena High School
The Helena Mother and Son Dance will take place at Helena High School and is intended for mothers and their sons from the earliest school placements and up to eighth graders. The event will feature music and light snacks. The theme for the event is “To the moon and back.” The event is sponsored by and proceeds will support the Helena Soccer program.
MARCH 11 | 2 P.M.
Helena Golf vs. Benjamin Russell High School
MARCH 11 | 6 P.M. City Council Meeting
MARCH 12 | 4:30 P.M.
Helena Baseball vs. Homewood
MARCH 12 | 4:30 P.M.
Helena Softball vs. Thompson
MARCH 14 | 4 P.M.
Helena Tennis vs. Pelham
MARCH 14 | 5 P.M.
Helena Softball vs. Hoover
MARCH 14 | 6 P.M.
Taste of Helena
MARCH 14 | 6:30 P.M.
Helena Baseball vs. HewittTrussville School
MARCH 14 | 7 P.M.
Helena Soccer vs. John Carroll Catholic
MARCH 16 | 11 A.M.
Helena Baseball vs. Thompson
MARCH 18 | 7 A.M.
MUSH Madness Golf Tournament
MARCH 18 | 6:30 P.M.
Helena Baseball vs. Hueytown
MARCH 19 | 4:30 P.M.
Helena Softball vs. Jasper
MARCH 19 | 7 P.M.
Helena Soccer vs. Montevallo
MARCH 21 | 4 P.M.
Helena Tennis vs. HewittTrussville
MARCH 21 | 5 P.M.
Helena Softball vs. Briarwood Christian
MARCH 21 | 6 P.M.
Helena Planning and Zoning Committee meeting
MARCH 21 | 6:30 P.M.
Helena Baseball vs. Pelham
MARCH 21 | 7 P.M.
Helena Soccer vs. Pelham
MARCH 23 | 11 A.M.
Helena Baseball vs. Hartselle
MARCH 23 | 4 P.M.
Helena Baseball vs. Vestavia Hills
MARCH 26 | 4 P.M. Municipal Court
SATURDAY, MARCH 9
5-7 P.M.
Helena Sports Complex
The Helena Athletic Association will present the 2024 Father and Daughter Dance on Saturday, March 9 from 5-7 p.m. at the Helena Sports Complex. Ticket sales and proceeds from the event will go to support the Helena Athletic Association. Tickets can be purchased via links available on the event’s Facebook page.
TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS
11 A.M.
Jane B. Holmes Library
Join members of the Jane B. Holmes Public Library for Storytime hour on Tuesdays and Thursdays every month at 11 a.m. Storytime aims to encourage children’s love of reading and remind them that the library is a place for their imaginations to run wild.
HELENA CITY COUNCIL MEETING
PRE-COUNCIL AT 5 P.M., CITY COUNCIL MEETING AT 6 P.M.
HELENA CITY HALL
Helena’s City Council meetings take place the second and fourth Mondays of the month. Helena City Council meetings are open to the public and offer the chance for you to get involved in the planning of your community.
After the Helena Huskies and Pelham Panthers battled it out on Tuesday, Jan. 23 at Helena High School, the excitement only built for the second half of their regular season series just 72 hours later on Friday, Jan. 25.
On Saturday, Feb. 3, the Helena High Frequency Show Choir competed at the Southland Classic at Enterprise High School. They won 2nd runner up in their division and our very own Anna Tyler Williams won the solo competition! What a great way to end this year’s competition season.
The Helena City Council recognized the Helena Middle School Cheerleaders with a proclamation acknowledging their successful triumph during the 2023 Alabama High School Athletic Association State Cheer Competition and also declared the month of January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month during a regularly scheduled City Council meeting on Monday, Jan. 8.
Helena High School’s JV and Varsity Scholars Bowl teams both took 3rd place at the Shelby County Schools Scholars Bowl Competition during the last week of January. The JV team also competed at the ASCA district tournament at Wallace State Community College, where they also received third place in their division.
The saying goes that good things come with time, and that’s certainly the hope for Clif Naron and the Helena Huskies this soccer season as they hope their experience leads to success. Naron has seen the growth in Helena’s soccer program over recent seasons, and he’s confident that this year could be the one where everything starts coming together.
HELENA WINS REGULAR SEASON AREA TITLE AFTER PULLING AWAY LATE AGAINST PELHAM
The Helena Huskies have officially booked their place in sub-regionals after wrapping up the one seed in the area tournament with a 66-49 win over the rival Pelham Panthers on Tuesday, Jan. 23 at Helena High School.
The Helena City Council recognized the success of the Helena Police Explorers Program and proclaimed the week of Jan. 22 as Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) Week during a regularly scheduled city council meeting on Monday, Jan. 22.
At the halfway mark in area play, the Helena Huskies were undefeated after earning their second straight win over the Briarwood Christian Lions. This time, the Huskies had to take care of business on the road at Briarwood Christian School, and they did so in comeback fashion in the second half to earn the 57-43 win on Friday, Jan. 19.
Area athletes kicked off the AHSAA Indoor Track and Field Championship in style as they walked away from the Birmingham CrossPlex on the first day of the meet on Friday, Feb. 2 with individual state championships. Helena’s Michael Sestili won the boys pole vault.
The Helena Fire Department took part in training alongside other area departments that cooperate as automatic aid partners. The live, hands-on training took place alongside the Alabaster, Calera and Pelham fire departments and furthered the relationship between local first responders.
Spring is right around the corner and with that comes so many exciting things around our community. I would like to start off by welcoming in many new residents who were either a part of the Indian Ford annexation, or became contiguous to the city through this process and have chosen to come in. The City of Helena offers great services to its citizens, and we are glad to serve you.
Growth for the City of Helena continues in early 2024 as the construction of our new city center gets under way, followed by a new sports complex. We all know the importance of entertainment to our quality of place here in Helena, so let’s not forget the amazing lineup for the Helena Old Town concert series that will be kicking off before you know it. We are only a few weeks from the first show in our series and I look forward to a great crowd as Rollin in the Hay comes to town on April 20 to get us started. I hope to see all of you there.
As springtime approaches, it will be time for our ballparks and soccer fields to come back to life with Helena Youth Sports preparing to get underway for their spring season. This will draw hundreds if not thousands of people to our local parks to showcase our young athletes. As in many communities, our parks department is a great asset for our young families. With the ever-increasing amount of screen time and digital distraction, organized sports teach our youth so many valuable lessons that our society is beginning to lose.
That is why I encourage everyone to take advantage of the many walking trails and parks that our city has to offer, whether it’s sitting out by the creek, watching the kids play or taking a walk, the city has something for everyone to enjoy, and it just continues to get better. As we approach Spring Break, if you plan to stay in town, get some fresh air in one of our beautiful parks, Lee Springs, Cahaba Lilly, Joe Tucker or take a stroll down the Hillsboro Trail. I also encourage you to ride just up the road to Cahaba River Park and enjoy the beauty of the Cahaba River.
While you’re at it, I encourage everyone to shop with our local vendors, whether you are purchasing your spring wardrobe, a gift for a special occasion or just getting a meal at one of our local restaurants, Helena has many options to keep your tax dollars local.
IIt has been a long and very cold winter, but hopefully, March will see some opportunities to get outside.
As you visit the library, look for books about gardening and landscaping. It is a great time to get some ideas together, and the library has some great books to inspire you.
Many younger kids enjoy the non-fiction section of the library, with great selections of books about everything from Legos, dinosaurs, insects and much more. Thanks to a variety of resources, this section has seen some great updates recently. Check out some of these neat books.
Another great resource for patrons to make the most of their library card is the digital catalog. Similar to online shopping, looking for books on the catalog is easy and can be a time saver. Simply log on to Shelbycounty-al.org and click “Catalog Search” at the top of the page in the middle. From there, you simply search and select titles you would like and click “place request”. The process requires you to have an up to date Shelby County Public Library Card that is in good standing.
The library system will call, email or text a message when an item arrives for the patron to pick up. It’s free and it’s fun. Of course, the old reliable method of visiting the library and looking through the shelves is a great way to find things, too.
The Library has some great events lined up for March! Stop in soon to pick up a calendar, or check out the calendar at Cityofhelena.org. Click on
“Community”, then scroll down to the library.
uMonday, March 4 at 6 p.m. – Evening Storytime – Dr. Seuss!
uTuesday, March 5 at 5:45 p.m. – Friends of the Library Meeting
uMonday, March 11 at 5:30 p.m. – St. Patrick’s Day Craft session for children age 3 and up
uWednesday, March 13 at 10:30 a.m. –Libby & Hoopla Basics: How to Access E-books & Audiobooks
uMonday, March 18 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. – Lego Fun
uWednesday, March 20 at 10:30 a.m. –Senior Program
uMonday, March 25 at 5:30-6:30 p.m. –Easter Coloring and Craft session for children age 3 and up
uWednesday, March 27 – ALL DAY – Check out 10 Books, Get a Prize!
For those of you with younger children, please remember our weekly Storytime. This is a fun event with stories, singalongs and music that will keep young people moving. Storytime is every Tuesday and Thursday at 11 a.m. and is a fun way for your preschooler to learn and meet others in your community.
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Phone:
Facebook: Helena.Public.Library.Friends
Website: cityofhelena.org/public-library
Instagram: @helenalibrary
A poignant novel about a mother and daughter who must repair their relationship and find a way to follow their hearts. As each woman navigates an unconventional romance, they cautiously approach each other on new terms and attempt to put aside their past for a new future. In Upside Down, Danielle Steel tells an unforgettable story of bold choices, second chances, and the hope of reconciliation.
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A hilarious new story about a group of underdogs who come together when they are forced to attend summer school
Nonfiction
Discover plenty of creative crafts you can do using cardboard in this activity book bursting with exciting ideas!
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The ultimate cookbook for kids with 100 easy & delicious recipes, cooking tips, a glossary, and fun colorful illustrations!
This sweet story of the friendship between a child and a bear is a celebration of all the ways we show our love to the important people in our lives.
JENNIFER RUSSELL
Helena High School English teacher and dance coach
Becoming the Alabama State High Kick Champions, runner ups in Game Day and winners of most crowd appeal are significant achievements, can you share what that success felt like to you and the team in the moment?
That was the first time that we were the Alabama State High Kick Champions since the school opened in 2015. It genuinely felt like we had come full circle. Over the years we had been close. In dance, the difference between first and second place is sometimes less than one tenth of a point. Seeing the girl’s faces and seeing how proud they were of themselves was definitely a cherished memory. We have been competing in Game Day for a few years and are still trying to find our own style. It was very validating that we are on the right track when we won 2nd and Most Crowd Appeal. The Most Crowd Appeal can also be attributed to the support we had from our parents, alumni, and HHS Band members. It was extremely humbling to have that much support for our girls when usually we do not have that many people come watch our competitions.
Can you share a memorable moment from this season that stands out to you?
The most memorable moment for me this season is watching the playbacks of our Semi-Final and Finals kick routine. In that moment we all knew that we had done it. We had put something on the floor that was beautiful, moving, and had excellent technique. Seeing the girls be so proud of themselves and openly showing emotion about their routine and each other was so beautiful. For the Final routine we all just held other, watched, and cried. They were so proud and so sad that it was the last time we would all be dancing together. Moments like that are what make dance so beautiful.
How do you feel the team has evolved over the course of this year and under your coaching? Have you seen any positive change in any team members over the course of the year?
I have been the only coach that Helena Dance Team has ever had. I think that my coaching has evolved as I have more experience and see more of the dance world. Going to Nationals and seeing teams from across the country is an amazing learning experience for the girls and myself. We grow and learn so much by seeing other teams and learning how to become even better each year. I see positive changes in all my girls every year. The girls on my team are without a doubt some of the best teenagers and kids. The freshmen and new girls every single year rise to the challenge of dancing with seniors and grow exponentially in their dance ability.
Looking forward, what elements of the team do you wish to build on and improve for next year?
We will have 14 girls out of 19 returning and will have other girls trying out as well. We hope to keep improving our technique and performance quality. Our goal is to one day win a National Championship and we will continue to work toward that goal by pushing ourselves and our technique to get better and better.
Could you tell us a bit about your background in band and how long you have been with Helena?
My band background began in 7th grade when I was at Opelika Middle School. However, my music background extends beyond that as I participated in church choir growing up and began piano in 4th grade. As I progressed through my high school career I was involved in every music ensemble that we had to offer from our premier concert performance ensemble to show choir band and pit orchestra. In all I was in seven different ensembles my senior year of high school. I went on to attend Auburn University where I pursued and earned a degree in music education. From there I went on to accept a job at Fayette County High School and after three successful years there I accepted the position here at Helena High School where I am currently in my 5th year.
In your words, how would you describe this year’s band in terms of the work they have put into their performance and skills?
Day one of each year is a new band. You have upperclassmen stepping up into leadership roles for the first time. You have rising 9th graders who are still young musicians and getting their first time playing while moving. This year’s group has definitely worked hard toward growing musically and in their individual character and it is most definitely growing. Students have stepped up to the plate several times this year when we put challenging music in front of them and they have excelled every time.
What is your reaction to seeing students from the Helena High School Band being included in multiple honor bands, as well as taking part in multiple community events?
Students partaking in honor bands is huge to the band program. The students get exposed to many different aspects of “band” and then they bring that back to the program and talk about it and get other students more excited about the band and the possibilities. Students chosen for the district and all-state honor bands represent the top tier of not only our program but among the Shelby and Jefferson County areas and the entire state. As far as partaking in community events we jump at the chance to perform for our community as we are very well supported by them.
Are there any words of encouragement or guidance you might like to share to students who are in the earlier years of their band involvement, especially those in middle school?
Stay involved. It may be slow at first and very challenging at times but the payoff is worth the wait. Throughout my career in band it has taken me places I would have never afforded to go otherwise. I’ve been to national championship games, many states throughout the continental United States and even abroad to other countries, all of these coming at little to no cost to me. The life skills I have learned I could never have learned without my involvement in the band. Band is like a family and you make great life long friends there.
When people with extraordinary talent and passion are given the technology, the facilities, and the support, they achieve great things. The discoveries taking place today will help shape the future of treatments and lead to cures – benefitting not only our patients and families, but people across the country and around the world for years to come.
Sgt. Coker has served in his current role of a Nights Watch Commander since November 2021 and has been an officer in Helena for over five years with nearly eight years of total experience in law enforcement. As a night watch commander, Coker supervises officers that are on duty during A-Nights. It is a role that entails a long list of responsibilities from simply backing up officers during routine calls to decision making regarding policy and law. Since August 2021, he has also served as the field training officer coordinator for the Helena Police Department. In that capacity, it is Coker’s duty to assign all new officers to designated FTO’s and ensure that all new officers complete training that satisfactorily meet the standards set by the department. “Law Enforcement is a constantly evolving field,” he says. “It is up to us as officers to stay on top of our game to provide the best quality service to our community, not just for their satisfaction but for their safety.” Although Coker is not a native of Helena, he cites the community’s rich history and
strong community ties as the reasons he has fallen in love with his new home. “From the moment I step out of my patrol vehicle at a call to the moment I tell our dispatch I am clear from that call, I think of what a great environment I am surrounded by in the City of Helena,” Coker says. “I think one of the most important parts of our job is to build trust within the community we serve. Trust is an easy thing to lose and a hard thing to gain. Striving daily to earn the community’s trust is what we are building toward. Without the support from this community, the department would falter.” Valuing that trust, both within the community and the department itself, Coker looks forward to the future with open eyes and an eagerness to serve the place he is thankful to call home. “The Helena Police Department has given me more opportunities to advance my career than I could have ever asked for,” he says. “Chief Flynn has built trust in me since the moment I arrived at HPD and I could not be more grateful.”
ANGLICAN
Lamb of God Church
Head pastor: Caron Glenn Davis 5140 Hwy 17 (205) 919-7932
Lambofgodcec.org
BAPTIST
The Church at Old Town
Head Pastor: Josh Knierim 815 Highway 52 E (205) 663-7879
Thechurchatoldtown.org
Gospel Light Baptist Church
Lead Pastor: Gary Bohman 5781 Roy Drive (205) 685-0772
Glbcbham.com
Mount Pleasant Baptist Church
Head Pastor: Edwin Dinkins
5320 Helena Road (205) 624-3323
Mpbchelena.com
Riverside Baptist Church
Senior Pastor: Chris Wilson
Worship Pastor: Kyle Ziglar 1919 Highway 52 West (205) 426-1910
Rbchelena.org
Crossbridge Community Church
Lead Pastor: Cody Brister 1455 Starkey Street (205) 358-3500
Crossbridgehelena.com
CHURCH OF CHRIST
Church of Christ at Helena 2499 Highway 58 (205) 620-4575
Helenachurch.com
Disciples of Christ:
Grace Christian Church
Lead Pastor: Rev. Brad Henderson
869 County Road 52 (205) 426-1233
Gracechristianchurch.org
METHODIST
Helena Methodist Church
Head Pastor: Rev. Rusty Tate 2035 Highway 58 (205) 663-0111
Helenamethodist.org
NON-DENOMINATIONAL
Open Door Independent Church
120 Laurel Woods Drive (205) 482-5963
Opendooral.com
The Cornerstone Church
Lead Pastor: Timothy Trimble
2694 Highway 58 (205) 663-9332
Cornerstonechurchhelena.org
Church at Cahaba Bend
Lead Pastor: Rev. Patrick Friday
3721 Hwy 52 West (205) 621-8060
Cahababend.org
New Vision Christian Church
Senior Pastor: Van C. Houser 2383 Highway 95 (205) 919-6678
Nvcc4god.org
The Rock Church
Head Pastor: Bryan Van Gieson
501 2nd Avenue West (205) 358-7625
Rockofbirmingham.org
The Voice of Faith International Ministries
Head Pastor: Franklin Kirksey
1560 Cunningham Drive (205) 663-7396
Presbyterian:
Harmony Church of Helena
Head Pastor: Mike Ensminger 3396 Helena Road (205) 663-2174
Harmonychurchofhelena.net
Christ Community Church
Pastors: Phil Chambers and David Cunningham 2222 Highway 52 (205) 881-4222
ChristCommunity.net
Laura Anderson considers herself to be a second-generation and nearly lifelong resident of Helena. While her mother’s family grew up in Helena, Anderson herself first came to Helena when her parents moved to the city in 1984. From there, she would attend school and spend time around all of the familiar sites and locations, including the Hillary Sweat House, also known as Dr. Ryan’s House, which her grandparents lived in from the early 1960’s until 2020. Although she moved away in 2003, Anderson was not gone long. After having two children, she moved back to her hometown in 2012 to raise her two sons, now 15 and 12 respectively, near family and in a school system she knew to be great. Currently, she serves as a corporate appeals specialist for a healthcare company based out of Mobile where she works to defend the skilled services her company provides to nursing home residents across central and southern Alabama. “I’d love to one day be on one of the boards like the Helena Old Town Board or maybe even run for
city council,” she says. “My love for Helena is profound and although life is busy as a single mom, I’d love to do more to help my community be the best it can be.” Whether it be getting a burger from The Depot, ice cream from Freezy’s, or simply walking down to see the Cahaba lillies, Anderson values each spare moment spent in Helena with her children and is glad that she can impart memories to them that mirror her own childhood. A childhood where playing at Joe Tucker park, playing softball, going to the Duck races, attending parades and enjoying many concerts and events are all traditions that will continue for years to come. “I’m glad that my children can now have memories of their own from the fourth of July fireworks, market days, the Christmas tree lighting, the summer concert series and many more,” She says. “We plan to call Helena home for many years to come because it’s one of the best places on Earth. My roots run deep and this is definitely where I consider home.”
Bryan Pope works to teach and share the stories of Shelby County Schools
BY DONALD MOTTERN PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED
HHelena resident Bryan Pope’s current occupation as digital media specialist for all of Shelby County Schools was not one that he set out with an intention to obtain.
Although he has filled the role for several years now and worked to build the position, the department and involvement with the school system from nearly the ground up, that journey truly began as a simple change in teaching assignments.
Prior to filling his current role, Pope firmly worked to establish his career as an educator for more than a decade. Over the course of that time, Pope served as a history teacher in Jefferson County but an opportunity eventually presented itself for him to make a change and tackle a new subject.
“I got a chance while I was teaching at Oak Grove High School to change over to teaching marketing,”
Pope said. “With that, I was offered the chance to teach and help students credential in either Adobe or Microsoft.”
When Pope took on the assignment, he did so with an active and inspired involvement but little actual experience. At the time, Pope’s exposure to software such as Adobe was limited to what he had been introduced to by a youth pastor he knew who worked as a graphic designer.
Nevertheless, Pope applied himself and began building up a repertoire of experience and knowledge toward a number of applications he used to educate his students.
“I started learning to be able to teach it and started off in programs like illustrator and photoshop and then eventually got into video with my students and that is where it really took off and started getting
attention as a program for creating,” Pope said.
After a time, he would then relocate to Shelby County Schools, a move which would only solidify his transition to this new focus. Pope would take a position with Calera High School, again in the role of a marketing teacher, and in the process of that transition would be introduced to Cindy Warner, public relations and community education supervisor for Shelby County Schools.
Before even getting a chance to develop a reputation from within to the classroom, Pope was put into contact with Warner through a fellow colleague in Jefferson County that recommended him to help the district in the creation of a series of videos.
“I did the Shelby Cares videos back then, which was five to six years ago now,” Pope said. “That was my first introduction to Shelby County but it also got me a lot of attention right off of the bat before I even got in the classroom.”
Once reaching the classroom and after the successful production of the collection of Shelby Cares videos, Pope’s class would focus heavily on the
aspects of video production. That program in Calera was allowed to move forward at an exponential rate due to the school’s relationship and cooperation with Lhoist, a minerals and lime producing company with strong ties and presence in Calera and the surrounding area.
“Their headquarters is right there in Calera and it had been recommended that I reach out to them if we needed some money for the program,” Pope said. “Over that year and through multiple donations, they gave us about $30,000 to use in the purchasing of camera equipment, computers and all kinds of stuff. Plus, Shelby County Schools career tech provided us the first Mac lab ever in Shelby County.”
Throughout Bryan’s year working at Calera High School, his marketing class took it upon themselves to produce a large number of what he refers to as “hype” videos for a variety of the school’s programs on top of the general curriculum covered by the class.
“It was still a marketing class but we used it to market the theatre performances, the football teams, cheer squads, volleyball teams and anything and
everything that we wanted we did hype and promotional style videos,” he said.
After one year in Calera, Bryan would then make another career pivot to Helena High School where he would take a position as an administrative assistant. However, he would only remain in that new role for a little over two months before redirecting one last time toward the position of digital media specialist.
“Shelby County Schools had in mind what they wanted this sort of role to be and I think they went on to tailor it to me a bit once I came in,” Pope said.
The documented responsibilities for the role of digital media specialist for Shelby County Schools lists the position’s goals of supporting school district through the creation and development of digital
media and marketing campaigns that consist of video and graphic creation, photography and the creation of other multimedia projects like blogs and podcasts. All of these elements are subsequently meant to support the district’s online presence across its presence across multiple online media platforms.
“It has definitely grown and expanded over that time,” Pope said. “I’ve got a co-worker now in Cole Pevey and he and I both make up the digital media department. I would say that our overall purpose is relatively district wide. We do not try and cover every single school event, but definitely there are certain events that may garner attention more so than others. Definitely, if it is a system wide event, we do
“It’s just getting to know people that otherwise I would never meet,” Pope said. “It is probably my top favorite thing about it all. I really enjoy getting to know the staff and hearing their stories. (What we do is) hugely instrumental in school spirit. It really just makes a huge impact in how students feel about their school and I love the idea that we get to shine a light on the good things.”
- BRYAN POPE
our best to cover it.”
Examples of those such events are SCS’ Showcase of Schools, livestreams of graduation ceremonies and other events that might be expected to have bigger implications for the district as a whole.
In the time since taking the role as one of the individuals chiefly responsible for telling the plethora of stories taking place around and within Shelby County Schools, the program has also seen a steady pace of growth that has expanded not only its capabilities but its responsibilities.
“Depending on what we are doing that day, we may be traveling to different schools—capturing interviews, filming a variety of b-roll and other things,” Pope said. “Other times we are in the office editing, having meetings and discussing upcoming projects. We started off with just me using my own equipment, and then a mix of other equipment we gained from the district. Then we were just doing simple things—teacher of the year videos certainly took up a lot—but now we are able to do the one-onone with Dr. Brooks that is sort of like a video podcast. We’ve now got a new studio space where we are hopefully going to be able to do even more of those—where Dr. Brooks gets to sit down with students and staff to share their stories, which does a
great job at showcasing his personality and the relationships he builds.”
In an example of one of the many instances of school involvement, Pope talked about letting Montevallo High School borrow a gimbal and how he and Pevey traveled to the high school to not only deliver the equipment but educate students on how to use a gimbal.
“We also work with high and middle school programs where we help the teachers that are teaching similar type things to what Cole and I taught reach their students,” Pope said. “We go in and sometimes we will shoot videos with high school or middle school programs. We just had one scheduled at the end of February with Helena Middle School where I am helping them shoot a spring hype video.”
At its current stage and capabilities, SCS’ digital media office has connections to at least one program in every zone, usually at each of the high schools. However, that presence is undergoing an expansion with other media related programs stationed in a number of the district’s middle schools including Chelsea Middle School and Helena Middle School. Elvin Hill Elementary School also features a related program.
In all such programs, Pope works alongside Pevey to sit with teachers so that they can educate them on matters related to the technologies in question, all toward the mission of passing that education down to the students.
“Some of them do podcasts, some do hype videos for the school programs, some of them do news related stuff,” Pope said. “I worked with Cassie Screws at Helena High School when I was there as an administrative assistant in a process to upgrade Husky TV, which is the schools weekly news-type program.”
Pope stipulates that above everything else, the aspect of his position he finds most rewarding is telling the stories of the people within the district. Whether it be from the perspective of a student, teacher, administrator or other staff member, the growth of the department has allowed the more effective and proficient telling of stories for the rest of the community to experience.
“It’s just getting to know people that otherwise I would never meet,” Pope said. “It is probably my top
favorite thing about it all. I really enjoy getting to know the staff and hearing their stories. (What we do is) hugely instrumental in school spirit,” Pope said. “It really just makes a huge impact in how students feel about their school and I love the idea that we get to shine a light on the good things.”
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Helena baseball ready to take next step with experienced core
BY ANDREW SIMONSON PHOTOS BY JEREMY RAINES JARRETT SCOTT
TThe Helena Huskies are back for more on the baseball field in 2024 with an experienced core that is ready to put the lessons they learned last season to work.
“With what we’ve been able to do over the past two weeks, we do feel good about it,” Helena varsity baseball coach CJ Guy said. “We had a lot of guys last year who were first-time varsity players and we felt like last year was a good learning experience for them.
Those first-time varsity players reached the round of 16 in 2023 and are back for more this season with seven of their eight field starters returning along with much of their pitching rotation.
Guy believes that last season’s experience will be one of the biggest keys to success this season as the Huskies are now a year older and a year wiser.
“I feel like experience is sometimes the best lesson to have when you’re trying to go through battles in a game like baseball,” Guy said. “So, with the guys that we have returning, which was a big
nucleus of our roster this year, we’re happy to see just the maturity that we’ve seen from them from last year to this year so far.”
Those players include All-County talent like third baseman Braydon Kendrick and outfielder Jarret Scott, both of whom are juniors and players Guy hopes will take a big leap forward this season.
The Huskies also have a senior-laden rotation which includes Logan Barber at the top, Bennett Plowden and the ever-reliable Carson Acker, and the trio will be paired with rising star Brayden Dockery, who stood out as a freshman in 2023, and Hayden Berry when he returns from injury.
The infield remains the same for Helena in 2024 with Kendrick and first baseman Reese Mims on the corners flanking second baseman Ty Strickland and shortstop Caleb Higgins as seniors in the middle infield, which Guy believes is a strong part of the field when paired with centerfielder John Martin Williamson.
“We feel like in baseball you’ve got to be really good up the middle with our middle infielders and
our center fielder,” Guy said. “And we feel like our middle infield is one of our strong points of our team.
The lone position that Guy needs to fill is at catcher, which Nick Peters and Sam Odom have battled for in the offseason. He is excited about both of his options and looks forward to watching them work in the weeks to come ahead of opening day on Feb. 17 against Oxford and Spain Park.
That kicks off what will be a difficult non-area stretch for Helena as they will battle Class 7A foes such as Thompson, Hoover, Vestavia Hills, Auburn and Central-Phenix City.
The Huskies started last season 2-9 and came up short in multiple games decided by one or two runs during that stretch. However, they rebounded from there to get out of the area and reach the round of 16.
Guy hopes his team can use the difficult early stretch to build similar resolve as well as consistency ahead of area play.
“Early on this year, I really hope that again we will be in a situation where whether it’s an early deficit or a late deficit, that’s just something that we will have to overcome to try to find a way to be on the right side of the game on the scoreboard,” Guy said. “Not saying it’ll happen every time, but I think that’s something that early on in the year that will really help us out to move forward once we get into midMarch, late March and you get into area
play.”
Throughout all of it, Guy hopes that his team can grow even closer together than they already are. He said that this team enjoys being together throughout all of the hard work that it takes to succeed.
“Just that we can connect to be one heartbeat,” Guy said. “This is a group that we love hanging out with each other. We enjoy each other’s company. I think every day in practice, we work hard, we have a standard of excellence, but we know how to have fun with each other.”
Even with that standard of excellence, for Guy and his staff, their goal is to develop his players into great people in addition to great baseball players and give them the tools to succeed when they leave Helena High School.
“Every year, it’s a different puzzle,” Guy said. “With this group, I think they have high expectations, high goals. But besides the win-loss record, what we have always been here at Helena is that we’re a family. We’re a very family-oriented program. We care about these kids more than we do with wins and losses, care about the whole person and that when each class, and certainly with these nine (seniors) that we have this year, when they graduate from us, that we have them prepared for whatever’s next, and so with all of the things that we go through, we hope it prepares them for the next level of their life.”
FEB. 16: vs. Chelsea (at Hoover)
FEB. 17: vs. Oxford (at Spain Park)
FEB. 17: at Spain Park
FEB. 22: vs. Hoover
FEB. 23: at Chelsea
FEB. 24: at Hoover
FEB. 25: vs. Sparkman (at Hoover)
FEB. 27: vs. McAdory
FEB. 29-MARCH2: at Perfect Game Tournament
MARCH 5: at Oak Mountain
MARCH 8: at Auburn
MARCH 9: at Opelika
MARCH 9: at Central-Phenix City
MARCH 12: vs. Homewood
MARCH 14: at Hewitt-Trussville
MARCH 16: vs. Hazel Green (at Thompson)
MARCH 16: at Thompson
MARCH 18: vs. Hueytown
MARCH 21: at Pelham
MARCH 22: vs. Chelsea
MARCH 23: vs. Hartselle
MARCH 23: vs. Vestavia Hills
MARCH 27: vs. Houston (TN) (at Hoover Met)
MARCH 28: vs. Prattville (at Hoover Met)
MARCH 28: vs. Farragut (TN) (at Hoover)
MARCH 29: vs. Middle Tennessee Christian (at Hoover Met)
MARCH 30: vs. Leeds (at Hoover Met)
APRIL 2: vs. Calera*
APRIL 4: at Calera*
April 8: at Chilton County*
April 10: vs. Chilton County*
April 12: vs. Cullman
* = Area Game
Helena embarks on road back to state tournament under new coach Mark Sanders
BY ANDREW SIMONSON PHOTOS BY JEREMY RAINESAAfter making their way to the state tournament in 2023, the Helena Huskies have their eyes set on Oxford once again. However, this time they will have a new coach leading the charge, but he is someone very familiar to Helena softball.
The Huskies will be led by former Helena Middle School coach Mark Sanders, and he and the players are excited for the road ahead.
“We are filled with an immense amount of excitement about our team and the upcoming season,” Sanders said. “First and foremost, we are thrilled for our players and the opportunities that lie ahead for them, particularly our seniors.”
While Sanders coached many of Helena’s current varsity players throughout his successful 14-year middle school career, moving to the varsity team has brought many changes for him but he has
received support from many coaches, administrators and parents at Helena High School.
“It is definitely a significant change,” Sanders said. “What has made this transition doable is the support that we have and the skill, expertise, and experience of our coaches.”
Sanders’ goals are to help the Huskies grow closer as a team, work hard to accomplish their goals and go as far they can.
“On a daily basis, we ask our girls to love each other unconditionally, work harder than our competition, and have more fun than our opponents,” Sanders said. “Secondly, our priorities are to win our area championship, play championship-caliber softball at Regionals, and represent our school and community in the State Tournament in May.”
HAYDEN TRAYWICK
Luckily for Helena, seven seniors have returned for 2024, and they have unfinished business after going 18-3 with Sanders in their eighth-grade season in 2020 before the Covid-19 pandemic prevented them from winning Helena Middle School’s fifth straight championship.
“Just having the chance to embark on another journey with them is beyond words and a dream come true,” Sanders said.
Between those years of experience playing at Helena and their skill on the field, Sanders believes this group and the rest of his team are in a position to succeed this season.
“I believe that our talent and experience are two of the greatest strengths of our program,” Sanders said. “We have incredibly skilled players who have gained significant softball experience.”
Those players include Presley Lively, who won Shelby County Hitter of the Year in 2023 with a .535 average off 76 hits, along with fellow seniors Carli Darden, Harley Morrison, Emma Olive, Cammi Pugh, Molly Rollan and Hannah Steele. Hayden Traywick will also return to the pitching staff after a 10-win freshman
season with Henley Traywick behind the plate and in right field.
Sanders is helping to fine-tune his players’ fundamentals to help them reach their potential this year.
“One area that we are currently focusing on is our fundamentals,” Sanders said. “It is important for us to continue improving in this aspect. Our players are gradually becoming more sound in their fundamentals each day thanks to our exceptional coaches and their unwavering commitment to excellence.”
The Huskies will once again face a difficult area with Pelham and Briarwood Christian, and they will take on Thompson, Hoover, Chelsea and Mountain Brook outside of area play to help prepare them for what they hope is another deep run through the playoffs.
While Helena’s talent has led to high expectations on the field, Sanders hopes that throughout the season, his players grow as leaders and as people.
“We are actively working off the field to instill strong character, leadership skills, and assist the girls in developing a comprehensive plan for personal and professional growth both on and off the field,” Sanders said.
FEB. 16: vs. Spain Park (at Thompson)
FEB. 16: vs. Oxford (at Thompson)
FEB. 17: vs. Springville (at Thompson)
FEB. 17: vs. Northside (at Thompson)
FEB. 20: at Pell City
FEB. 22: vs. Calera
FEB. 23-24: at Hillcrest Tournament
FEB. 26: at Oxford
FEB. 27: vs. Chelsea
FEB. 29: at Brookwood
MARCH 1: vs. ACA (at Choccolocco Park)
MARCH 1: vs. Sumiton Christian (at Choccolocco Park)
MARCH 2: vs. Fort Payne (at Choccolocco Park)
MARCH 2: vs. Oxford (at Choccolocco Park)
MARCH 4: at Mountain Brook
MARCH 5: at Pelham
MARCH 8: at Spain Park Tournament
MARCH 12: vs. Thompson
MARCH 14: at Hoover
MARCH 15-16: at Hoover Tournament
MARCH 19: vs. Moody
MARCH 21: vs. Briarwood
APRIL 2: vs. Pelham
APRIL 4: at Briarwood
APRIL 5-6: at Sumiton Christian Tournament
APRIL 8: at Chelsea
APRIL 9: vs. Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa
APRIL 15: vs. Mountain Brook
APRIL 16: vs. Pell City
APRIL 19-20: at TBD Tournament
New coach, new identity ready to lead Helena in 2024
BY TYLER RALEY PHOTOS BY JEREMY RAINES JACK HENDRIX
HHelena heads into the 2024 season with a new face at the helm, and the team feels more comfortable as time ticks down towards game one.
As the Huskies enter coming off of a 11-10-2 record last year, former Helena Middle School coach Kelly Koch makes the move up to the high school level, ready to push her squad in the right direction.
“This is my first season as head coach,” Koch said. “Most of the boys I have coached at the middle school level and then obviously sent them to the high school, didn’t coach there. So it’s kind of like a little reunion being able to be back with them as they’ve grown up. I feel like they have all welcomed me and have accepted me and kind of what the vision is for the team, for the year. I think we’re all really excited about possibilities and opportunities that we have this year with some of our players.”
Being a new head coach presents a number of challenges no matter the school, with one of them being trying to get to know the team. Koch has not faced that, and that has made her transition easier.
“It’s been great because it’s not like coming in fresh,” Koch said. “It’s really just kind of picking up where we left off. I know how they play, I know how
they are, I know their families. I already know a lot about most of them so it’s not coming in blind. I’m already having those relationships built and established, all of that stuff so we can hit the ground running day one.”
Koch’s arrival has also been well received by many of her former players. For a longtime player like junior Ryan Borden, his life has been greatly impacted by what Koch has done for him, and he will continue to carry that into this season.
“I really liked her as a coach my seventh-grade year,” Borden said. “She really made me fall in love with the game and to have her back, it’s just an honor at the high school level. I’m really excited.”
Not only are the players excited about the arrival of their coach, but they are also big on the change in culture that the team is pushing towards this year.
Koch believes that having unity is the basis for good performance on the field, which is something the players did not feel a lot of last season.
“I think one of our biggest goals is just teambuilding,” Koch said. “I think we had a lot of players that kind of butted heads last year, and players and coaches that there wasn’t always that chemistry. So
that’s been one of my big goals this year is to make sure that we’re building that foundation of being a team from the very beginning, and then the skills and all of that will fall into place as it is.”
Those skills that the team has are largely based around speed. With seven players from last year’s starting lineup returning for this season, the team is looking to be more aggressive than it has been in recent seasons.
This shows in the strengths that the players have seen throughout preseason training, which they believe will impact them in a big way.
“I think we’re going to be compact in the middle,” senior goalkeeper Charlie Steel said. “We’re also going to be able to transition very quickly from defense to offense.”
One of those threats on the offensive side of the ball is Ivan Sanchez, who was a starter last year as a freshman. Koch says that since last season, Sanchez has grown and matured a lot, which will turn him into a key player going into the year.
The new coach also feels that her team has a solid amount of depth so that she can place different players into various spots, which will ultimately help that attacking identity.
“As we’re working through some new formations right now, I think we’ve had
conversations over the last several days about who is going to fit into those roles,” Koch said. “We have a lot of flexibility in our play formations and players that we can fill into different spots.”
With those different spots come different leaders and great opportunities that the players strive to find as the year goes on. The goals for many of these veteran members is to take advantage of those opportunities and become better for them.
For captain Jack Hendrix, his goal for himself was short and sweet.
“I’m trying to take this captain role very seriously so I can become a better leader and everything like that,” Hendrix said.
As for coach Koch, she hopes that she can make a great impression on her players in her first season as the face of Helena soccer, one that will create a family atmosphere for years to come.
“My goal for this season is just to not let these boys down,” Koch said. “Advancing out of the area is always a goal of ours, but me as a coach is just to show them that I care about each of them to help them build that brotherhood and to build that family dynamic.”
A new era will begin at Helena when the Huskies and coach Koch make their debut on Feb. 6 at Spain Park before heading to the 2024 Varsity Boys Southern Shootout in Foley on Feb. 8.
FEB. 2: vs. Oneonta
FEB. 8: at Spain Park
FEB. 9-10: at Southern Shootout
FEB. 20: vs. Oxford
FEB. 22: at Thompson
FEB. 27: vs. Fort Payne
FEB. 29: vs. Calera (Alumni Night)
MARCH 1-2: at Warrior Invitational
MARCH 5: at Wetumpka
MARCH 8: vs. Indian Springs*
MARCH 12: at Briarwood
MARCH 14: vs. John Carroll (Youth Night)
MARCH 19: at Montevallo
MARCH 21: vs. Pelham*
APRIL 2: at Pell City
APRIL 5: vs. Briarwood*
APRIL 9: vs. McAdory (Senior Night)
APRIL 11: at Pelham*
APRIL 16: at Indian Springs*
APRIL 18: at Hewitt-Trussville
* = Area Game
IVAN SANCHEZ
TThe saying goes that good things come with time, and that’s certainly the hope for Clif Naron and the Helena Huskies this soccer season as they hope their experience leads to success.
Naron has seen the growth in Helena’s soccer program over recent seasons, and he’s confident that this year could be the one where everything starts coming together.
“Each year has brought us new growth,” Naron said. “Each year has brought us new successes and we really think this is a year for us to make our mark for sure.”
That growth is one of the reasons why the Huskies are the No. 10 team in the Class 6A girls soccer preseason coaches poll, and players like senior Maddie Ingber believe they have grown as a result of their improved chemistry.
“It honestly gives us an advantage because we already have that chemistry with our team and (know) who plays where and stuff like that, so I see a lot of success,” Ingber said.
Naron keeps his eye on the Helena Middle School soccer program as well, and because of that, sometimes players join the varsity team while still in middle
school.
Those young players sometimes take longer to get up to full speed with the varsity program, but the one advantage that senior Miah Rosener has seen is that everybody stays in the program longer, growing closer together and allowing for continuity from the previous season.
“Since we have relatively the same team we had last year, it’s just going to help us to like pick up where we stopped last year,” Rosener said.
Another example of the Huskies continuity is their tactics, which will still lean on a 4-4-2 formation but is ever evolving.
Naron is working on implementing wingbacks into his tactics, which could lead to Helena presenting a 4-3-3 or a 3-5-2 formation to stretch the offense to the touchlines.
With many of the players having club experience and gaining knowledge of the soccer field through that, Naron can open up his playbook and implement formations and tactics he couldn’t when he arrived at Helena.
“I think we’ve got the players finally that have grown up long enough within the club system,” Naron said.
FEB. 2: vs. Oneonta
FEB. 6: vs. Lincoln
FEB. 9-10: at Southern Shootout
FEB. 13: at Thompson
FEB. 16-17: at Lakeshore Shootout
FEB. 20: vs. Oxford
FEB. 22: vs. Homewood
FEB. 29: vs. Calera (Alumni Night)
MARCH 5: at Wetumpka
MARCH 8: vs. Indian Springs*
MARCH 12: at Briarwood*
MARCH 14: vs. John Carroll (Youth Night)
MARCH 19: at Montevallo
MARCH 21: vs. Pelham*
APRIL 2: at Pell City
APRIL 5: vs. Briarwood*
APRIL 9: vs. McAdory (Senior Night)
APRIL 11: at Pelham*
APRIL 16: at Indian Springs*
APRIL 18: at Montgomery Academy
* = Area Game
“They understand the field. It’s a little easier to explain the dynamics of formations than it was just three or four years ago. This is our 10th season since the school opened, and so we’ve gone through a transition of having one or two kids that played club and nobody that even knew what soccer was other than a ball and to a full squad from middle school to varsity that all play club year-round. So, it’s making a difference for us.”
Ingber said the team hopes that finding out what they do best in each formation will allow them to adapt to different opponents and have greater success.
She believes that the vast number of returning players makes it easier to connect passes on the field and get the ball to their most effective and consistent players.
“I think after last year, our strengths are really just going to be able to find each other and knowing, ‘who do we have to rely on?’” Ingber said. “I think we’ve just built more trust honestly in each other, so we just fall back on each other.”
Two of those players the team knows they can rely on are Kate Hendrix and Bailey Rummage, who both joined Rosener on the 2023 All-County Second Team as freshmen. Rosener believes her fellow All-County teammates will be crucial to success again this season.
“Kate Hendrix, she started playing with us last year, so she kind of started a little bit later than the people in her grade,” Rosener said. “She’s a 10th grader, but she dominated
as soon as she stepped on the field, so I think she’s going to impress us this year.
“Bailey Rummage, she’s always a strong player, very aggressive on the field, so she’s going to contribute to our team a good bit too.”
She also hopes that the new tactical changes allow them to switch up the gameplan in they need to against the tough opponents they will face.
“Sometimes, we just get in the groove of a certain way that we play and then we don’t adjust well when that formation or that lineup isn’t compatible with the team that we’re playing or it’s not being successful,” Rosener said. “I think just having a couple of different formations like (coach Naron) talked about is going to be really helpful this season.”
Another hope that Ingber has for the Huskies on the field is to give maximum effort for the full game and not let a goal or a mistake make them spiral.
“We have trouble with as soon as they get a goal on us, we tend to give up,” Ingber said. “So, I think one major goal that we should have is just play the whole 90 minutes, not just the first 10 minutes of one half and the first 10 minutes of the next.”
Naron echoed that as he pointed to their success against area opponents Briarwood and Indian Springs last season despite losing those games.
He hopes that his team shows an improved mental resilience since that could lead to better results against teams like Homewood, Spain Park, Thompson and perennial rival Pelham.
Many of those goals can be traced back to Helena’s biggest desire for this season: improvement. It’s something that Rosener has seen on and off the field during her time with the Huskies, and as she and her eight senior teammates start their last season, she is confident that the improvement will continue.
“Each year that I’ve been here, the grade that comes up, they’re better every single year,” Rosener said, “Clubs have just gotten stronger, and soccer, I don’t know if it’s just gotten more popular or what, but the skill that we get each year just continues to grow. So, I think in the coming years, we should have some success too.”
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Apartments for Elderly & Disabled. Many on-site services! 2115 Motes Rd, Sylacauga. 256-245-6500
• TDD#s: 800-548-2547(V)
• 800-548-2546(T/A).
Office Hours: Mon-Fri, 8am-4pm. Equal Opportunity Provider/ Employer
Property Real Estate Manager (live out). Sought by commercial real estate company. Worksite: Birmingham, AL. 36 months exp. req. in same job or, Private Household Management or, any other closely related. Supervise other service workers $28.82 per. hour. 40 hrs. weekly. No walk in’s. Mail resume with cover letter to: The Founder. The Hazelrig Companies. 3535 Grandview Parkway, Suite # 315, Birmingham, AL 34243.
Now Hiring For Utility Positions
Starting pay $15.14/hour Must be able to pass background screen. Please apply at: www.bc.com
Danieli Taranis (Chelsea, AL) to be rspnsble for dvlpng sftwr prjct for autmtn sys.; intnl tstng of sftwr app on autmtn sys; drawing up ad prep. of oprtr manuals; field check, assurance that all field elctrcl eqpmnt is cnctd to autmtn sys; motor mvments accrdng to data sheet; mach. automatic mvmnts according to cycle diagram; monitor plant prdctvt. Bachelor’s in Cmptr Scnce or IT w/5 yrs of progress resp. prior wrk exp in the pstn offrd. or reltd. Mst knw (thru acad training or wrk exp) dvlpng MES autmtn sftwre using DELPHI XE2 & SQL ORACLE PL/SQL for bcknd dvlpmnt; dvlpng autmtn sftwre for steel indstry; SQL dtbse, Vsl Stdio Cde, Delphi 2005, Orcle dtbse, incl. Orcle ADF, Orcle SOA, & Orcle BPM. Resumes to r.woods@danieli.com.
O-FLEX METAL FINISHING
Production Supervisor
$50,000.00-$70,000.00/ year 10hr shifts Mon-Thurs Oversees production operations. Sets objectives, organizes workflow, prepares schedules, assigns responsibilities, trains employees, ensures safety, schedules maintenance,
submits performance reports.
Skills:-Automotive Plant Experience -Experience as Production Supervisor or similar role -Experience with manufacturing machinery and tools -Advanced skills in MS Office -High School Diploma; Degree in a technical, engineering or relevant field will be an advantage Benefits: PTO, 401k w/match, Health/ Dental/Vision insurance, employee assistance, referral program, tuition reimbursement
725 Keystone Drive Clanton, Al 35044
O-FLEX METAL FINISHING
2nd Shift Supervisor
$50,000.00-$70,000.00 2nd shift 2:30p.m.-
1:00a.m. Monday–Thursday Responsibilities: •Be an effective Supervisor in a participative work environment •Ensure all Finishing Dept. goals and improvement objectives are accomplished per our commitments •Ability to optimize utilization of personnel, equipment, material, and space to meet OMF’s daily, monthly and annual targets. Will be evaluated regularly on ability to continuously improve in all areas of responsibility.
725 Keystone Drive Clanton, Al 35044
O-FLEX METAL FINISHING
Maintenance Technicians: Friday–Sunday 12 hour shifts 6:00a.m.-6:00p.m. Responsible for maintenance of O-Flex facilities & equipment across all lines & departments. Oversight of preventative maintenance programs. Coordinates continuous improvement activities with Maintenance Team Leader. Starting pay $19-$28 BOE
725 Keystone Drive Clanton, Al 35044
South Pointe Development
203 Shiloh Creek Drive Calera, AL 35040
Updating Waiting List:
3 BDR 2 Bath
Mon-Fri 8:30-5:30
Multi-Family No Pets Allowed 205-668-1196.
Quantum Logistics Hiring
Class A Driver. Montgomery, AL. Full or part time. $.48-$.55 per mile.
Paid weekly. BCBS Insurance. Home weekend EZ Pass and prepass. Safety & Fuel Bonus. Apply online www.qtmlog.com Call (334)2888106.
Nursing Assistant to help care for an elderly gentleman in Jemison requiring total assistance. PT-FT. To apply, call Ms. Peoples (205)688-1992 or (205)447-3005
Security Guard for Gated
Community in North Shelby County Full-time or Part-time. Must have pistol permit. Call Brittany 205-991-4653
Become a Dental Assistant in ONLY 8 WEEKS!
Please visit our website capstonedentalassisting.com or call (205)561-8118 and get your career started!
Hiring Experienced Driver
Must have Class A CDL, Hazmat, tanker exp. Local deliveries, so you will be home every night. We have new equipment, FT/PT positions available with excellent hourly pay. Offering health/dental insurance, paid vacations. Send resumes to: mark@allenoil.com
Call 256-404-4143 or come by the Allen’s office at: 1251 Old Bham Hwy in Sylacauga
Experienced Termite
Technician or someone experienced in route-service work and wants to learn new profession. Work-vehicle/ equipment provided. Must drive straight-shift, have clean driving record/be 21/pass background/drug test. Training provided. Insurance/401K offered. M-F 7:00-4:30 + 1 Saturday/month. Pay $13hr. Send resume to facsmith@ charter.net
Helena resident of more than 20 years
Experiences that are second to none It’s hard to beat a burger from The Depot or something from Beef O’Brady’s while overlooking Buck Creek on a pretty day. Plus, with the Helena Old Town concert series and Buck Creek Festival, there’s plenty to do for most of the year. And it’s free!
Small Town feel with lots of conveniences
A great place to raise a family While not providing every single thing some families may need, Helena has a great small town feeling while still providing many amenities for families and individuals. I visited Helena in the late 90s as a single man and remember thinking what a great place it would be to raise a family. When I married in 2001, I purchased my first home here and am in my third one now.
There is always something to do Helena offers multiple parks for children and families and the Hillsboro Trail is an awesome perk. It gives residents a place to exercise and enjoy the outdoors while also connecting neighborhoods to the schools. The new Lee Springs Park is an easy favorite.
Always bolstering the holiday spirit I enjoy the Christmas parade every year. I’ve been in Helena for almost 23 years and have missed a few but always love seeing the floats and the kids that participate or stand lining the streets, waiting for candy. I’m still advocating for it to be at night, however!
My Neighborhood
Where everybody knows your name
Moving from Riverwoods to Appleford in Hillsboro was one of the best decisions I made. The community here really emphasizes the small town feel that I love. We know our neighbors. We have community events that are attended by people from other parts of Helena and our Halloween trick-or-treating is unbelievable!
