GDW takes an in depth look at the history Fairview High athletics:
GDW Analysis:
FAIRVIEW: Excitement was on display Tuesday evening at Fairview High School.
The school is celebrating its 100th anniversary, becoming the 3rd school locally to reach this feat.
A ribbon cutting ceremony was held under sunny skies in front of the main entrance to the school.
New principal Brad Stapler welcomed the crowd in the celebration for how Fairview has made progress since its first became a school in the year 1923.
Cullman County Superintendent Shane Barnette provided prayer with middle school principal Trina Walker reading a resolution courtesy of local House of Representative Randall Shedd.
Elementary school principal Marty Hardman coordinated the ribbon cutting for it to be official enshrined in the Alabama Department of Education, Fairview has served students and its community for a century.
History of athletics at Fairview High School:
Fairview has been a member of the Alabama High School Athletic Association since the early 1960s.
Basketball was the first sport the school presented when it opened its door.
Football started in 1925 and stayed until 1931. The program was dropped before it was reinstated in 1963.
Baseball came to the campus in 1968.
Female sports made their way to Fairview at the same time in 1977.
Basketball, volleyball and softball were formed. Softball was a slow pitch program until it went to the fastpitch mode in 2003.
In the last two and a half decades, the school has seen participation in track, cross country, golf and soccer.
Fairview is the 2nd largest in the Cullman County system with 402 students about to start the 2024/25 year on Thursday.
Success has been etched in Fairview athletics through different time frames.
The football team currently has the most wins of any school in the county since 2000 with a total of 140. Their run of 12 wins and 2 losses under George Redding in 2021 is the best ever for the Aggies. They reached the semifinals for the first time in AHSAA postseason.
Basketball had a very good 2011 with 23 wins in 32 games for Greg Boatright. The Aggies claimed the Cullman County crown and reached the Elite 8 of the AHSAA.
Girls basketball earned 25 wins out of 31 tries for Mary Hartline in 2017. That carried them to the Cullman County championship and Elite 8 in regional play.
Volleyball went through 2019 of impressive numbers for Tracy Means. Fifty victories against 20 defeats and on to the Elite 8 in the playoffs in 5A.
The baseball team from 1997 with Mark Moore the leader, went 28 & 5, the best the Aggies have excelled on the diamond.
The following have been a coach and a teacher at Fairview with each getting inducted into the Cullman County Hall of Fame.
Joe Shults (BK) was the first to be a Hall of Famer in 2000.
Dafford Smith followed Shults in 2001. Smith is well known for his greatness on the football field, plus he coached girls basketball and softball.
Others include Greg Boatright (BK), Windell Calloway (BK, SB), Tracy Means (VB), Dwight Tucker (FB), Bob Palys (BK, BB), Ray Heitmueller (BK), Hobson Hite (TK, XC), Mark Moore (BB), Andy Page (FB), Mark Britton (FB), Wade Knight (BK), Marty Hardman (GF, FB) and Donnie Rice (FB).
Rice went into the HoF in July.
With the 2024/25 AHSAA season to start with fall sports on the weekend of August 22, Fairview is ready to celebrate winning in competition after the celebration of a school 100 years with so many memories they have endured.
Photo of ribbon cutting ceremony at Fairview HS Tuesday.
From left, Shane Barnette, Marty Hardman, Trina Walker, Brad Stapler and George Redding.
GDW photo by Johnny Thornton.
