Albany athletes, coaches take stage at ice cream supper

Hundreds of Albany Lions and Lady Lions supporters filled the Clear Fork Bank Park on Monday, August 11, for the annual ice cream supper that marks the start of the fall sports season. The long-running event once again gave the community a chance to meet the athletes and hear directly from the coaches about the year ahead.

Athletes from JV and varsity football, volleyball, cross country, and cheerleading took the stage to introduce themselves. Each coach spoke about their team’s preparations and expectations for the season.

This year, the football program will field a total of 44 JV and varsity players. Volleyball has 20 JV and varsity athletes ready to compete. Cheerleading will include 14 JV and varsity members, and the cross country team will open with four athletes.

The evening closed with a performance by the little cheerleaders, who took part in the mini camp held in July. The 60 mini campers will also perform during halftime of the Stamford football game on September 5.

The Lady Lions volleyball team began regular-season play this week with home games against Aspermont and Merkel. The football team is set to take the field Friday for a scrimmage against Coleman in Coleman. The cross country team will compete in its first meet of the season on August 16 at Jim Ned High School.

The Albany Athletic Booster Club used the event to highlight new opportunities for community involvement. Fans can become official members of the Booster Club, with membership levels starting at 25 dollars and increasing up to 500 dollars. Each level provides benefits such as recognition in the football program, booster yard signs, decals, flags, and T-shirts. All memberships and sponsorships will apply to the 2025 through 2026 school year.