Story by Cinthia Rico
The DeKalb County Sports Hall of Fame honored its Class of 2022, defined by eight local sports figures, during its induction ceremony at the DeKalb County Schools Coliseum in Rainsville.
Crossville alumni and longtime sports broadcaster Jeff Allen; former Ider and Auburn University basketball standout Bill Smith; former Crossville boys basketball coach and current Collinsville assistant basketball coach Tracy Hulgan; former Geraldine volleyball coach and Snead State Community College coach Cristie Brothers; former Fyffe and Birmingham Southern baseball player Matthew Lambert; Fort Payne’s multi-sport coach Billy Colburn; former Plainview alumni and tri-state coach Dale Pruitt and DCSHOF president and longtime Fort Payne track and field coach and assistant football coach C.M. Sanford were inducted into the county’s hall of fame during the 2022 Induction Banquet.
Inductee and master of ceremony Allen thanked his parents, brother Shannon Allen, listeners, production staff, coaches and players who enabled the WQSB High School Football Scoreboard show achieve longevity and success.
“I stand here tonight thanking God for what he’s done in my life,” said Allen. “My brother and I, both being bless. We love sports and combined, we’ve covered sports in this area for 75 years.”
Smith, a 1974 Auburn graduate and first-generation college student, said it was an honored to be inducted into the sports hall of fame and shared his love for basketball.
“I dreamed of being a great shooter and I worked hard,” he said. “I dreamed of playing in college – without the scholarship, I wouldn’t have been.”
Hulgan, whose more than 23-year long coaching career, took the opportunity to acknowledge all those who have been a part of his journey.
“This is an incredible honor and recognition, representing all of the teams that were connected my career over the years,” he said.
Brothers took the stage, depicting memorable moments of her Geraldine volleyball teams’ trying victories and motivating defeats.
“I am so appreciative of the number of friendships I have made through the sport of volleyball,” she said.
Lambert, a Fyffe, Central Alabama Community College and Birmingham Southern College baseball standout and coach, shared the changes he experience over his athletic and coaching career.
“I just want to thank the folks that got me here – my parents and my sister Tara,” he said. “I want to thank the game of Baseball, without that, I would be a different person.”
Former Fort Payne multi-sports coach Colburn emphasized the importance of athletics.
“It is good to be from DeKalb County,” he said. “Enjoy your life and have a great time.”
Tri-state coach Pruitt, who returned to lead Plainview’s varsity football program for the third time, expressed his appreciation for the assistant coaches and parents who have been an important part of student athletes career.
“In this day in time, it take a village to run a football program,” he said.
Coach C.M. Sanford, shared his passion for coaching track and cross country and the time you put into the coaching career.
“Its a great honor for me to represent Fort Payne High School,” he said. “I’ve been lucky to not only coach good kids but good athletes.”
The DCSHOF also honored four outstanding student-athletes who achieved success in their respective sports. A goal of the DCSHOF is to support student-athletes in DeKalb County schools who have excelled on and off the field of play by awarding each recipient $1,200 scholarship.
This year’s scholarship recipients were Collinsville’s Kayla Beene, Fyffe’s Will Edge, Plainview’s Cole Millican and Cornestone Christian Academy’s Shelby Harrison.
The DCSHOF also presented Coaches Achievement Award to Collinsville’s Jon Tidmore, who has accumulated 30 years of coaching and Plainview’s Stanley Williams, who has compiled 25 years in his coaching career.