Belgreen has county’s first fishing team

Members of the BHS Bulldog Anglers include front row from left, Jordan Bray, Andrew Bolton, Zach Martin, Chase Hester, Chance Landers and Clay Adkins; second row, Phillip Prince, Jessie Smith, Jacob Davis, Brock Hester, Chase Landers, Joseph Gravitt and Lexie Bragwell. Not pictured is Katelynn Scott. | Scot Beard/FCT

BELGREEN –  For years Belgreen has stood out from other high schools in Franklin County for the one sport it does not have — football.

In 2011 people in Franklin County will stop talking about what Belgreen doesn’t have and start talking about the unique sports opportunity there this spring, a bass fishing team.

Belgreen will be competing as part of the Alabama High School Bass Fishing Association this year and is the organization’s only member in the county.

Emily Blanton is the coach of the BHS Bulldog Anglers and said the team is a perfect fit for the area.

“There are plenty of local resources and lots of local fishermen to help coach,” Blanton said. “When we had our first meeting for parents and students, seven students and three coaches showed up.”

Since then the team has grown to 14 students and eight coaches.

Team members include Jordan Bray, Andrew Bolton, Brock Hester, Clay Adkins, Zach Martin, Jessie Smith, Joseph Gravitt, Phillip Prince, Katelynn Scott, Lexie Bragwell, Chase Hester, Chance Landers, Chase Landers and Jacob Davis. Coaches include Blanton, Hal Kirby, Shannon Oliver, Ty Hester, Gary Fleming, Robert Boyd, Casey Blanton and Tim Cleveland.

Hal Kirby and Oliver gathered the information for getting the team started and approached Belgreen principal Steve Pounders about the school having a team. Pounders decided Emily Blanton would be the best person to organize the team.

“She is doing a good job with it and the parents and the community are giving us lots of support,” Pounders said. “Down the road there will be scholarships available. With all the lakes in the area, this is something we needed to get started.”

Many of the student anglers have been fishing for most of their lives and are happy to have the opportunity to represent Belgreen while participating in one of their favorite hobbies.

“I’ve been fishing my whole life and started bass fishing two years ago. I was really excited and couldn’t wait to join,” said Martin, a sophomore who is also the club’s vice president. “There is no way to describe it.”

The Alabama High School Bass Fishing Association was formed not only to offer students throughout the state the opportunity to fish, but also to teach “leadership as well as personal, professional and educational development while fostering an appreciation for the great outdoors and the love of bass fishing as a sport.”

In addition to fishing, the BHS Bulldog Anglers hold meetings to discuss tips and strategies for fishing, listen to guest speakers such as members of local bass clubs or local pros and hold safety seminars to make sure the anglers remain safe on the water.

Student anglers must be enrolled as a full-time student, be in grades 7-12 and maintain a 2.0 grade point average.

Some team members have been familiar with the coaches for a long time. Seventh-grader Jordan Kirby is Hal Kirby’s grandson.

He said his grandfather has taught him quite a bit about fishing while competing in several tournaments together.

“It makes it easier because he can help me more than anybody else and I can have more time to practice,” Jordan Bray said. “Right now he is teaching me about tying knots.”

The team will compete at the club level for now, but is hoping enough schools will form teams that the Alabama High School Athletic Association will sanction the sport and offer a state tournament. For that to happen 10 percent of AHSAA member schools must offer bass fishing as an option.

There will need to be about 40 schools participating before the AHSAA can vote on whether to sanction bass fishing. Last spring there were 16 schools participating in the Alabama High School Bass Fishing Association’s state tournament. More teams have joined this year.

Emily Blanton is hoping other schools in Franklin County will form clubs so there will be more local competition. Pounders also wants more area teams.

“I look forward to getting more schools so the AHSAA will sanction it as a sport,” Pounders said.

While AHSAA recognition might be a year or two away, members of the BHS Bulldog Anglers are excited by the opportunity.

“I love fishing,” Bolton said. “I think it’s pretty cool.”