As printed in the Q2 2024 ACCS Alabama Minute Newsletter.
The Alabama Community College Conference (ACCC) has seen a remarkable surge in sports popularity, adding 46 teams across 92% of the state’s community colleges in recent years.
This growth not only highlights the growing enthusiasm for collegiate sports across Alabama but also serves to dismantle the outdated belief that students must choose between their academic pursuits and their passion for sports.
Tuscaloosa News reported that the Shelton State women’s basketball team has been the epitome of success both on and off the court in representing two-year colleges.
“I knew that we were going to be disciplined,” said player zero Kaleah Taylor. “It was so dominating, like they haven’t lost a game in 8 years.”
Even though most student athletes will not continue in their sports professionally, many are still choosing to go pro in something other than basketball. For example, Wallace State graduate Najee Davis has used the valuable lessons from playing ball to become a successful owner of a Chick-Fil-A franchise in Vienna, Virginia.
“As soon as I got in a corporate career track that I wanted to be in, I said I’m going to take the same approach as basketball,” said Davis. “I just took that same work ethic.”
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