By Sam Waller
The Albany Lions football program enters every season with high expectations. This year, the Lions have a target on their backs.
Albany is the preseason No. 1 team in Class 2A Division II as selected by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football magazine after reaching the state semifinals in 2021. It is a distinction Lions head coach Denney Faith refuses to worry about.
By Sam Waller
Fans of Albany Lions and Lady Lions athletics will get to meet members of fall sports teams for football, volleyball, and cross country Monday, Aug. 8 at the Albany Athletic Booster Club’s Ice Cream Supper at the Bank Park.
Food will be served at 6:30 p.m. with player introductions starting at 7:00 p.m.
“Folks need to bring their own chairs,” Booster Club member Amanda Tabor said. “We’re not going to have the tables set up. It’ll be more picnic style so people can stand and move around.”
By Sam Waller
Participants in the Albany Lions and Lady Lions cross country program will report for the start of preseason workouts at 8:00 a.m. Monday, Aug. 1 at the high school gym foyer.
The new season sees the return of coach Ginger Norton, who last coached the program in 2013. Norton, who was also the Lady Lions track coach from 2001 through 2017, has been working mostly with elementary and junior high grades in recent years.
By Sam Waller
The Albany Lady Lions volleyball program will begin preseason practice at 7:30 a.m. Monday, Aug. 1 at the Albany Junior/Senior High gymnasium in preparation for the upcoming season.
“The girls will need to be here about 7:15 a.m. to make sure they get all of their equipment,” Lady Lions coach M.J. Reneau said.
The practices are for high school teams only. Junior high teams cannot begin practice until the start of school.
By Sam Waller
The Albany Lions will start getting ready for the 2022 football season with their first preseason workout at 8:00 a.m. Monday, Aug. 1.
Lions head coach Denney Faith said he expects between 40 and 50 players to take part in the program this year.
"We’ve been passing out all their gear this week, so they should be dressed and ready to go by 8:00 in the big room,” Faith said. “Those that haven’t gotten their stuff need to get here early.”
By Sam Waller
The Albany Athletic Booster Club held its kickoff meeting for the 2022-23 school year Sunday, July 17.
Booster Club member Amanda Tabor said boosters were able to achieve almost all of the items on the agenda.
“We got pretty much everyone signed up for something at Ice Cream Supper – a coordinator for the year or for team parents,” Tabor said. “Kristie Smith is heading up our Ice Cream Supper. We had a couple of positions left, but we put a signup genius on our Facebook page for those few jobs, like grillers or somebody to haul ice.”
By Sam Waller
The Little Cubs Cheer Camp will continue accepting registration until the start of its three-day run on Monday, July 25.
Preregistration has concluded with all campers preregistered receiving a camp T-shirt. But anyone wishing to attend can still do so, Albany cheerleader sponsor and camp organizer Nickie Leveridge said.
“Kids can still come; they just will not get a shirt.” Leveridge said. “We will have cheer items for sale.”
Registration at the camp will be held in the gym foyer. Camp sessions will be conducted in the old gym.
By Sam Waller
The Hubbard Creek Rangers saw their postseason run come to an end Friday, July 15, with their second loss in the Texas West State Tournament.
The Rangers, a combined Intermediate All-Star team of players from Albany an d Breckenridge, went 6-2 during the Little League International Tournament, winning district and sectional championships to advance to the state tourney at Wylie Little League Complex in Abilene.
Albany players on the team were Graham Ceder, Clay Chapman, Colter Edgar, and Aiden Vickers.
By Sam Waller
The start of fall sports is drawing near with Albany High School starting football and volleyball preseason practices Monday, Aug. 1.
The summer conditioning program for boys wrapped up this week, while the girls have another week to go after taking a two-week break earlier in July.
Prospective athletes for football and volleyball have been sent letters outlining two-a-day practices, as well as forms that must be filled out and signed by both students and parents by the opening day of practices.
By Sam Waller
The kickoff meeting for the Albany Athletic Booster Club has been scheduled for 6:00 p.m. Sunday, July 17, at the Albany Junior/Senior High fieldhouse.
Booster Club member Amanda Tabor said several items of business for the upcoming year will be covered.
“We’re going to discuss team parent signup for junior high, JV, and varsity sports for fall,” Tabor said. “We usually start gathering some spring sports moms, too.”
Tabor said the Booster Club’s Ice Cream Supper on Monday, Aug. 8 will also be on the agenda.
