High school volleyball players will return to the court next Wednesday for summer workouts, with high football players following a few days later to prepare for the 2018 season.

The volleyball girls will start practicing on Wednesday, Aug. 1, with the football program beginning on Monday, Aug. 6.

Coaches for both programs are anticipating an increase in numbers this season if all the athletes who expressed intentions to play show up for workouts, also referred to as two-a-days.

The 2018 football program will be sent to the printers next week, and everyone who still wants to help support the local high school and junior high athletes, encourage a student at the secondary school, and/or promote their business by placing an ad in the magazine-type program is asked to do so as soon as possible.

“Sales have been going well,” said Albany Athletic Booster Club treasurer Shawnee Tischler. “But we still have room for some more ads. Please get them to us ASAP!”

The Albany Athletic Booster Club will meet at the high school library on Monday, July 30, at 6:00 p.m. and everyone interested in joining the organization is encouraged to attend.

Items on the agenda include turning in ads for the football program, planning the Ice Cream Supper, and discussing team parents.

Ice Cream Supper

The Booster Club will host the annual Ice Cream Supper on Monday, Aug. 13 at 7:30 p.m. at the Bank Park.

New head coaches have been named for both the Moran Bulldogs and the Lady Bulldogs, just in time for them to get organized and ready to go for the start of the fall sports season. 

Harley Ethridge, who coached in Oglesby in 2017, is the new athletic director and head boys coach.

Dakota Fowler has been reassigned from some of her classroom duties to take over PE and girls athletics, and will be the Lady Bulldogs’ head coach.

With the start of the fall sports seasons less than two weeks away, preparations are in full swing for summer workouts for both volleyball and football.

The volleyball girls will start practicing on Wednesday, Aug. 1, with the football program beginning on Monday, Aug. 6.

Based on interest shown in May by local students, coaches are expecting more participants than last year.

Volleyball Workouts

Five members of the Lady Lions softball team received recognition on the 2018 Collin Street Bakery/Texas Sports Writers Association Class 2A All-State Team.

Senior Lindsey Lucas and freshman Elia Hebel both were selected for first team honors, with three other players receiving honorable mention.

The Lady Lions advanced to the Class 2A state tournament, falling in the semifinal round to eventual state winner, the Bells Lady Panthers. 

Albany finished the season with a 28-8 record, going 10-0 in district and earning the Region I title.

The Albany Athletic Booster Club met on Monday, July 9 to start planning for the upcoming ice cream supper, the football ad program, and other Booster sponsored activities.

The annual Athletic Booster Club ice cream supper will be held on Monday, Aug. 13 at 7:30 p.m. at the Bank Park, according to club president Mindy Ary. 

The hamburger meal only costs $7 for the general public, and the high school athletes eat free of charge. Dessert will be homemade ice cream provided by the cheerleaders.

Recent graduate Weston Vickers signed a letter of intent with Hardin-Simmons University for the next school year to play golf.

Vickers, who graduated from Albany High School in May, officially signed last Friday to become one of the 10 members of the men’s golf team at HSU.

Advancing to the state tournament in Class 2A golf in the spring, Vickers played on the varsity all four years of his high school career.

“I am really excited about getting to play at HSU,” he said. “I am ready to continue to learn more and get better at the game.”

It has been a number of years since Albany has had graduates play at the NCAA Div. I level in football, and as far as can be determined there hasn’t ever been a D1 baseball player come out of the local high school program, at least as far as local coaches can remember.

But that has changed.

Recent Albany graduates Dax Neece and Brian Hamilton will both be on the roster for D1programs in the fall.

Rockwall High School head coach Damon Wilson (c) explains a strategy to participants in this week’s volleyball team camp at the Albany High School gym. A total of 15 girls, all of whom are entering grades 9-12 this fall, are working with Wilson for two sessions daily during the four-day camp. Volleyball workouts to start the 2018 season will get underway on Wednesday, Aug. 1.