BY DANIEL SCHMIDT | FOR THE OBSERVER
OPELIKA – The nerves were initially overwhelming. There were battles against Central High School softball stars Ally Supan and Gerritt Griggs and Auburn High School standout Daley Alsobrook. There was the uncertainty of joining an established team as the new kids on the block.
Simultaneously, Opelika High School softball players JZ Agee and McCall Clayton were expected to navigate playing an entire varsity season as seventh and eighth graders, respectively. By the end of the year, however, the butterflies had faded, and the duo led the team in home runs with seven apiece while recording 14 of the Bulldogs’ 21 total home runs.
While their early success is the result of their individual talents and hard work on the practice field, is also partially the byproduct of efforts from several OHS head coaches to play certain middle school athletes last school year.
For Clayton, who finished the 2023-24 season with the varsity team as a seventh grader, the chance to play with the varsity team for an entire season provided her and Agee with invaluable learning opportunities.
“We were probably two of the closest on the team, knowing that we were held up to expectations. But knowing that we both had to be leaders, even at such a young age, I felt like we bonded over that and our car rides with Coach T over from the middle school. We definitely grew together a lot,” Clayton said.
Although Agee echoed that sentiment, she also faced a slightly different set of circumstances as she never played a single inning at the varsity level, unlike Clayton. An acute self-awareness of her age also didn’t help matters at first.
“At first when I got pulled up, I was nervous technically because I was the youngest on the team and I didn’t know anybody. But as the season went on, it got more comfortable, and the team bond started getting stronger, so I knew the season was gonna go good,” Agee said.
Despite some expected highs and lows early in the season and facing down some of the sport’s top high school talent, OHS head softball coach Jessica Thornton said the pair quickly seized their opportunity and became invaluable contributors.
“It was pretty obvious that their softball talent was good enough to be up with us and working with us. Obviously, there’s a maturity factor that you get nervous about, but I think that as our season went on, I forgot about their age because they just kind of fell in with everyone else. So it’s really fun to watch them grow as people and softball players,” Thornton said.
By Opelika City Schools standards, however, their participation on the varsity softball team at such young ages is a stark anomaly.
For decades, the Alabama High School Athletic Association has allowed middle school and junior high athletes to fully participate on varsity teams. However, even as that statewide rule allowed their involvement, a mutual understanding between OHS and Opelika Middle School preferred to keep players at their respective age levels.
While there are some exceptions – such as the bowling, flag football, golf, swimming and tennis teams – where there are not enough players or other teams across the state to justify maintaining separate teams, very few OMS athletes have historically competed on OHS varsity teams.
According to incoming OHS athletic director Craig Montel, who previously worked at OMS as a physical education teacher, coach and eventually athletic director for the past decade, that understanding between the two schools was meant to protect younger student-athletes.
Montel added that discussions over allowing select OMS students to play at the varsity level occurred “a few times” in the past.
“Some kids are mature at that age and can handle that, and some kids can’t. So we just try to make sure that we’re talking about each kid on a case-by-case, individual basis depending on their sport and where they’re at with their development,” Montel said. “This past year, we did have a few kids that we felt comfortable moving up after discussing it with their parents, who were comfortable with them playing up, so we allowed them to make that move and play at a higher level.”
Thornton said from his point of view, participation from exceptional OMS athletes like Agee and Clayton at the varsity level has been a long time coming. Now, that decision is poised to pay dividends for her program for years into the future.
“We want the best talent, right? So, if we see kids that are seventh and eighth graders and can help us win ball games, you know we want those kids to be on our team if we can have them,” Thornton said. “For McCall, I’m going to have her for five years, and for JZ, I’m going to have her for six years. It just creates some long-term stability. And that’s not to say that [OMS] isn’t doing a great job at developing those kids. It’s just that if kids can play better competition and hold their own, then they should be playing better competition.”
After just one full season, Agee and Clayton already have many fond memories. Among their favorites was the area tournament game against Smiths Station High School where they both hit home runs to remain tied for the season. There are also the momentum-swinging catches in center field from Agee, and infield plays from her dual role as third baseman and shortstop from Clayton.
Looking forward to next season, the Bulldogs’ dynamic duo looks to expand their already large roles within the team and continue improving as people, students and athletes.
“This past year, we really emphasized playing for the seniors, and I think that we all want to go and do that again because the seniors want to leave a legacy,” Clayton said. “So, playing for each other is a huge deal. But as for myself, I feel like in the beginning of the season I was still a little tense, so I want to play a little more free next year.”
“A goal for myself is just working on my mental toughness and not letting small things get to me and affect the rest of my game. And a goal for the team is to always have each other’s back in hard situations or situations that don’t really matter, and keeping our attitudes high so we just don’t fall down in situations where we need each other,” Agee said.
Even with those goals articulated, the process to reaching their potential will not be easy. Their reputation on home plate will proceed them, and much more will be asked of them from as players and leaders now that they’ve proven themselves at the varsity level.
But with the sky being the limit for both players, according to Thornton, the future of OHS softball looks to be in good batters glove-wrapped hands for years to come.
