2025 HSFT Stop #50: Aliceville
ALICEVILLE, AL (WCBI)- After a first year playoff exit in 2024, the Aliceville Yellow Jackets are back with a clear focus to improve the little things and building a culture that lasts. With Head coach Anthony Sawyer entering year two, the team is leading into consistency, accountability and leadership. In year two, Coach Sawyer isn’t just running drills, he’s building a foundation.
“Conditioning more, knowing where and why we’re doing things,” Sawyer said. “Our kids probably are a little bit more knowledgeable of the offense and the defense that we’ve been running.”
Winning starts with the small things, and that’s exactly where Aliceville is putting its focus. From how they practice to how they prepare, every rep and every detail matters.
“Working on the little things, and working on ourselves,” Sawyer said. “Trying to do what we do better than anybody else do what they do.”
That attention to detail starts with the team’s mentality and a locker room that lifts each other up.
“If one teammate down, we’ll pick him up. If you miss an incomplete pass or something, we’ll help him out,” Jeremiah Clark said. “Make sure you get better, and don’t hold your head down and go to the next rep.
For Clark, its about consistency and showing up every day and getting 1% better.
“1-0 every week,” Clark said. “Being consistent, listen to our coaches, learning everything we could, listening to them, being on point, coming to practice everyday.
And defensive end Zamauree Burrell is also embracing his role as a senior leader, not just on the field, but off of it, too.
“I just had to step up,” Burrell said. “I’ve got to lead the young guys in the right direction. Even when it comes to the little stuff as in coming to practice early, or picking up, cleaning up. It starts with the little things. It takes the little things to make it the work for your team.”
Now, as a mentor, he sees himself in the next generation of Yellow Jackets.
“Seeing them develop and watching them grow just means the world to me because I was once a little kid,” he said. “I was out here looking up to the big guys, so it’s just been very encouraging knowing that I got to impact their future.”
Aliceville is focused on what’s ahead, one rep, one day and one game at a time. The Yellow Jackets kick off their season on August 22 against Pickens County.
