By Marla Jones, Sports Editor • marla@southerntorch.com

VALLEY HEAD, Ala. — For my third stop of Inside The Huddle, I went to Valley Head to watch the Tigers in action under the direction of new Head Coach Heath Vincent.

Winners are not always created on the field, it takes hours of hard work in the weight room. Coach Vincent leads two workouts per day, one starting at 7am and the other at 5:30pm on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday to accommodate all the players’ schedules.

The regimen is fast-paced and offers a powerful punch. I had to have a water break just from watching them. Coach Vincent and his coaching staff are determined to have some of the most physically fit athletes around. Vincent could be heard saying, “If it was easy, everyone would do it.”

The 2017 season was rough for the Tigers. They finished with a 2-6 record. In May, they lost their second coach in two years. Despite this turnover, the Tigers are optimistic that this will be their year.

The Tigers will officially begin practice with their new coach on August 6, 2018. Vincent has hopes that they will participate in a few mini-camps before the start of the school year.

The Tigers will have six returning seniors on their team, five juniors, and seven sophomores. With a Class 1A team, all players will have an opportunity to play both offensively and defensively on the field.

Vincent anticipates his coaching staff to include: Coach Chuck Williams, Coach Matt Ogle, and Coach Scott Clifton.

The Tigers will begin their season travelling to face off against the Alabama School of the Deaf on August 31 at 7pm. They then have the home field advantage against Decatur Heritage Christian Academy on September 7. Their next two games will be fought away against Falkville on September 14 and Gaylesville on September 21. Valley Head fights Ider at home on September 28 and then Woodville on October 4. The Tigers then face Ragland away on October 12. Their final home game will be on October 19 against R.A. Hubbard. The Tigers’ last two games are away against Coosa Christian and Collinsville on October 26 and November 1, respectively.

Valley Head has a tough schedule but is an even tougher team. They have faced adversity and remained consistent. I look for them to do well this season. They have the speed, dedication and determination to succeed. Valley Head will definitely be a team to watch this year.