Brian Out Loud
Fall sports are history, winter sports still have a couple of months to go and spring sports teams have already started conditioning. Before you know it, we’ll be talking about graduation and the summer workouts ahead for athletes.
It’s been a fun year. I’ve seen a ton of accomplishments by our area athletes.
There have been district championships, individual championships and even a couple of team state championships as Jay won a title in baseball for the first time in 50-plus years, Pace claimed a crown in softball after three straight years of falling short of that goal, and the girls and boys weightlifting teams won it all as well.
State titles are always special because the work that goes into winning them has to be on another level or it will never happen.
We’ve also seen coaching changes, especially in football. Garrett Bagley took over at Navarre in the spring while Kelly Gillis stepped down at Milton in November.
A few weeks ago, Kent Smith retired as the head coach at Pace after the Patriots put together a year to remember.
And how about the way Emily (Madril) Sams has represented on a national and international stage? To say she had herself a year doesn’t do enough justice.
She won a gold medal with the Olympic team and was one of the best players in the National Women’s Soccer League on her way to leading the Orlando Pride to its first championship.
The coolest thing about Sams is that she’s local. She played the second half of her high school soccer career in Santa Rosa County, competing for the Navarre Raiders on the field.
That might be the biggest deal of all for Sams, who was an all-pro for Orlando in her second season and was tabbed the defender of the year in the NWSL.
The fact that this corner of Florida can claim Sams as one of their own is big time. Her success is inspiring to all the young soccer players out there who dream of one day being in her cleats.
Looking back is always fun and it’s been great to tell the stories of our athletes throughout 2024. You learn something new every day and you tend to see something new every day as well. No two games are ever alike.
As enjoyable as it is to reflect, it’s cool to look ahead as well. I hope we see more state champions, but maybe just as important, I hope we see our local athletes continue to give their very best day in and day out because nothing beats pouring your heart and soul into something and seeing the pay off.
I’ll do my best to tell as many of the stories as possible, but I am only one person, and until someone figures out how to clone me, I simply cannot be everywhere at the same time.
That doesn’t mean you can’t reach out and let me know about a story that should be written. I’m happy to do whatever I can to put athletes and teams in the spotlight.
For now, I’ll enjoy a few days of rest and relaxation before the grind starts all over. Thank you for your support this past year. Enjoy your Christmas and may 2025 be the best it can be for all of you.