Alma sports notebook
By Kevin Taylor
Alma Schools
BUSH, AIREDALES PREPPING FOR THE '24 SEASON OPENER
Alma football coach Rusty Bush said this week the Airedales are primed for August workouts.
With the start of the 2024 season just over a month away, the Airedales returned following a three-week hiatus with a step in their step.
Alma opens the 2024 season on Aug. 29 against Van Buren.
“There are so many breaks with high school football now,” Bush said. “It’s essentially 365 days (a year). Right now, the thing for us, is we’re healthy. We’re working on practice habits. Our staff is in because we do much all year long. We’re working to be better football players and better young men, and being able to practice the right way.”
Alma is coming off a 7-4 campaign, which included a playoff. Most of its staff will return for 2024, except offensive coordinator Chris Smith (Elkins) and Kirk Benson (Siloam Springs).
Payton Morris is moving up to offensive coordinator.
“I love the staff. I think they’re enjoying one another,” Bush said. “It’s so important to have great chemistry, not only among the kids in the locker room but also with the adults in the room and being able to work together.”
VOLLEYBALL
With most teams, there is reason for optimism.
But Alma’s ready to start the season now.
“It’s encouraging the way we’re playing right now and to be playing this well this early in the season,” senior Mabrey Birchfield said. “Having this much success, we know we can go further, and that’s encouraging.”
The Lady Airedales focus on coach Kim Weaver’s instructions during Thursday’s team camp match with El Dorado.
The Lady Airedales are coming off a 6-19 season in which they started just 1-12. The Lady Airedales are just 3-25 in conference play over the past two seasons — that coming on the heels of a 4-10 finish.
“It’s an attitude thing,” Birchfield said. “If you go in knowing you’re going to win, you’ll play confidently. It’s a teammate thing, too, where you know the girls to the left and right of you have your back.”
Alma clicked on all cylinders at Thursday’s team camp. The Lady Airedales open the season on Aug. 26 against Ozark.
Along with Birchfield’s experience, Alma has some other key pieces, such as Ashtyn Carmack, Chloe Gregory, Madison Peters, Maggie Brogan, and Vivian Beneux.
“Today at the tournament, we wanted to get some quality playing time,” Beneux said. “There are some quality teams here. We have some outstanding sophomores coming up and, with the experience we have back, I know the season’s going to be good.”
BASEBALL
Alma baseball coach Brian Fry can’t wait to roll up to Alma’s new indoor facility in mid-January knowing his players won’t have to worry about swinging the bat in frigid temperatures.
He’s just as eager to start the 2025 season, too.
This summer, alone, in addition to a select number of American Legion games, Fry and his staff had five additional players competing in Fort Smith’s extensive American Legion program.
“It’s always a good thing when you can get extra swings and time on the mound, so for these guys, it’s going to pay off when the season rolls around,” Fry said. “It starts with (five) guys playing Legion, and hopefully we’ll have even more in the years to come.”
Alma freshman Carson Hamilton (14) is greeted by coach Logan Taylor during an American Legion game this summer at the White River Complex in Fayetteville. Logan Villarreal (2), Kyle Peters, and Aiden Keith are also coming off the field.
Michael Taylor, Piercen Howell, Logan English, and Cade and Sammy Moore played for the Fort Smith Sportsman.
Fry and Co. saw some good things from sophomores like Cade and Sammy Moore, as well as Carson Curd, Brycen Lester, Maddux Huff, Izaac Plourde, and Landon Taylor.
In addition, incoming freshmen Brody Baldwin and Carson Hamilton add to the program’s increasing depth.
“Our No. 1 goal is player development and to find players who we think can come in and contribute the following year,” Fry said. “Opening up the summer roster to incoming freshmen will help us identify those players like Baldwin and Hamilton.
An influx of Alma kids playing travel baseball, from 8 to 14, could add to a promising future, Fry said.
“I see it every weekend from our teams that the players are learning how to compete at a high level,” Fry said. “We have more kids wanting extra reps to get better so they can perform on the weekend. We are working hard right now on our new indoor facility, and I won’t be surprised if we end up with high-end technology in there that will benefit every player.”
COACHING MOVES
Alma athletic director Jerrod Burns announced the school’s football and volleyball programs will begin the 2024-25 with new additions.
Josh Salsbury and Brent Taylor have joined coach Rusty Bush’s football staff, with Salsbury coaching the senior high and Taylor being named the head junior high coach.
“That’s one of those home-run hirers,” Burns said. “His wife (Candice) is going to teach second grade at the Primary School and they have a daughter going into kindergarten. It’s just plug-and-play; he’s an outstanding coach and an outstanding human. That’s a win.”
Taylor hails from Dardanelle and comes to Alma after a coaching stint in Montana.
Amy (Driscoll) Howard has been added to Alma’s junior high volleyball and track staff. Her older brother, Josh, is a longtime football and basketball assistant.
Burns also announced that veteran coach Ryan Myers, in addition to football, will also serve as an assistant softball coach this coming year.