Former student-athletes weigh in on Hewitt, Clay rivalry I saw a post on Twitter last week that said, “Give me a horror story from your specialty in five words or less.” I replied, “No more Hewitt vs. Clay.” For the longest time, covering Trussville and Clay and their athletics teams was my specialty. I went … Continue reading Paws and Claws or Pause and Clause?
THIS STORY APPEARS IN GARY LLOYD’S BOOK, VALLEY ROAD: UPLIFTING STORIES FROM DOWN SOUTH. GET IT HERE. So much about that high school football season was tough. A player dying during a gym workout prior to the season kicking off. The small town's grocery store, which produced a quarter of a million dollars in annual tax revenue, … Continue reading Tough runs
This story appears in Gary Lloyd’s book, Valley Road: Uplifting Stories from Down South. Get it here. He remembers that the 6-foot-5, 220-pound lineman always looked sad. He was always so quiet. Once he found out the lanky lineman’s story, he knew why. The lineman’s mother was killed in a murder-suicide by his stepfather when he was … Continue reading Paying it forward
By Gary Lloyd BIRMINGHAM — A few hundred former players joined Fred Yancey at the 50-yard line at halftime. When it was time to leave the field to make way for the homecoming court, someone motioned toward an end zone. “Let’s go this way so they’ll follow you,” she said to Yancey. Even today, they’re … Continue reading Legendary coach honored: ‘I don’t want him to ever leave’
By Gary Lloyd TRUSSVILLE -- I’ve had a few more stories published in the Cahaba Sun, a great monthly newspaper that covers the city of Trussville. Here’s a story on a five-hour barbecue cook-off, at which you can stuff your face for a great cause. Here’s a story on Cahaba Elementary School developing a project … Continue reading More Trussville stories
By Gary Lloyd If you follow me on Twitter for high school football updates, you may notice a weekly trend. I often capture a fuzzy iPhone photo before, during, or after the game I’m covering, and Tweet it out with the lone word, “Sports.” I do this purposely. High school sports, in many ways, have … Continue reading Sports
By Gary Lloyd HOOVER — Some coaches, albeit not many of them, are just talkers. You can prepare to ask a dozen postgame questions, and they just sing without you opening your mouth. The tape recorder just rolls. You feel comfortable with these coaches, whether their teams win or lose. I have encountered several of … Continue reading Niblett: ‘I want to try to put something positive out there’
By Gary Lloyd This Friday, I’m taking a night off from the high school sidelines. I’m going to the Trussville Public Library to hear Sean Dietrich, an author and storyteller from Florida. Sean and I have communicated a little over the past couple years, and he even provided a blurb for my book, Valley Road: … Continue reading Scenes from three weeks of high school football
By Gary Lloyd As someone who writes stories, I am conditioned to find the theme, to dig for the hidden meaning like a dog after whatever lies a foot beneath the backyard grass. I spend more time searching for it -- in books, in interviews, in my own mind -- than actually sitting down and … Continue reading Sandlot Sonny
By Gary Lloyd BIRMINGHAM – I only knew Jim Brown through Twitter posts about politics and sports, specifically conservative Christian beliefs and his ‘Bama fandom. “I do not apologize for either,” his Twitter bio stated. Amen. Brown, a teacher and coach at Briarwood Christian School for thirty-five years, was a must-follow for me on the … Continue reading Briarwood honors life of ‘faithful’ teacher, coach
