Commentary by Charles Prince

The North Jefferson News



In March 2007, I was at Heritage Park in Cullman, covering a softball tournament featuring four of our local teams.

In between games, I was approached by a parent of a Mortimer Jordan player. This proud mom told me about the Lady Blue Devils rise to prominence over the last few years.

She went on to explain that the 2007 group of juniors had been to state as both freshman and sophomores. She further told me, she felt they would be there again as juniors and seniors.

Then she told me more thing. She thought this club could win a state title before that core group of juniors would graduate in May 2008.

Last Saturday, Teresa Worden turned out to be right, as her daughter Brandy was one of eight seniors who helped the Lady Devils to the school’s second state title.

Now that the hard work has paid off for the girls, the rest of us can get on with the task of honoring their accomplishment.

Some of the players will surely be honored later this month, when the Alabama Sports Writers Association selects its 2008 All-State softball team.

Several players are sure to be named to All-area teams by papers large and small in our area.

However, a longer-lasting way to honor the hard work and determination the Lady Blue Devils displayed while rolling to the 5A title, would be to award them championship rings.

A ring leaves a more lasting memory. Yes, the memory of the state tourney and the moment they first held the state championship trophy won’t fade from their memory, but a ring can be a way for the supporters of the team to say, “well done.”

Let me give you an example. When the Hartselle Lady Tigers won the 5A state title in 2003, a local sporting goods store in Morgan County stepped forward and covered the entire cost of outfitting the players with championship rings for each and every player on the team and the coaches.

Could the business leaders in the Morris and Warrior area do the same? I hope so.

There could be a considerable cost involved, considering the price of class rings these days, but if several business come together, I’m sure they could cover the cost without much problem.

The hard work is over for the Lady Devils. Now, the work of their supporters to say thank you needs to begin.