Spartans Show Out at 2021 AHSAA All-Star Week
The Alabama High School Athletic Association conducted its annual “All-Star Week” in conjunction with the summer coaches conference July 19-23 in Montgomery.
During the week, coaches attended conferences, and high school athletes participated in all-star games in each sport.
Mountain Brook High School was well-represented throughout the week as multiple athletes competed and various coaches were recognized for performances over the past year.
MBHS won four state titles during the 2020-21 school year to lead the AHSAA.
Here’s a look at the recent Spartan recognition from the AHSAA:
Coaches
► Joe Webb (varsity boys soccer head coach) — 6A “Making A Difference Award:” According to the AHSAA website, the “Making a Difference Award was established in 2011 by the AHSAA and AHSADCA to recognize individuals who go beyond their normal duties as a coach, teacher or administrator to make a positive impact in their schools and communities.”
Coach Webb, representing the 6A division, was one of the seven coaches in the state recognized for this award.
The Huffman High School graduate has been a high school soccer coach for 29 years, the last 25 at MBHS. His Spartans team presented him with his 400th career coaching win in 2018. His win total is over 450.
Webb is the son-in-law of former Indian Springs soccer coach Ray Woodard, the man who was chiefly responsible for bringing soccer to the state over a half century ago.
Webb’s passion for the sport helped earn him the 2020 United Soccer Coaches Alabama High School Coach of Significance Award.
He coached in the first AHSAA North-South All-Star Soccer match in 2007 and has had at least one player on the squad every year since.
He was nominated for this Making A Difference Award by a high school coach who is a former club player for Webb.
“The most important reason Joe deserves this recognition is his impact on his players and often the players on other teams,” the nominator wrote. “Words alone cannot describe how he is a dynamically outstanding influence on his players and how he positively guides them toward becoming responsible and successful young men. He is a shining example to his players showing him by his own example that winning isn’t the most important thing.”
► Susan Farlow (varsity girls tennis head coach) — 2021 AHSAA Girl’s Tennis Coach of the Year
► Alex Lockett (varsity boys golf head coach) — 2021 AHSAA Boy’s Golf Coach of the Year
Former varsity volleyball head coach, Vickie Nichols, and current varsity boy’s basketball head coach, Tyler Davis, were presented with their State Championship Coach Award plaques during the Champions Dinner on Friday, July 23.
Nichols won back-to-back state championships (2019 7A and 2020 6A) at MBHS. Mattie Gardner is the school’s new varsity volleyball head coach.
Davis led the boy’s basketball team to a 30-6 record and the program’s sixth state championship last year during his first season as head coach.
Student-athletes
► Ellen Anderson — Girls soccer all-star
► Hunter Anderson — Girls cross country all-star
► Joseph Armstrong — Boys soccer all-star
► Greer Golden — Volleyball all-star
► Michael McGovern was the cross country team administrator.
A total of 76 AHSAA member high schools earned at least one state championship in 2020-21.
– Submitted by William Galloway, Mountain Brook Schools. The report includes information from AHSAA.com and was edited by Village Living.