This week in HS Sports: 3 pivotal questions heading into 2025

This is an opinion piece.

Last week, we recapped the 10 most memorable stories of 2024.

Now, it’s time to turn the page a bit.

What will the high school sports headlines be in 2025?

It’s impossible to know, of course, what team will come out of nowhere in what sport to when a state title or what major coaching job may open down the line.

However, here are a few questions we will see answered in the next 12 months.

1. Where will the 2025 Super 7 be held?

Obviously, this one has to be answered pretty soon. True, the state’s high school football championships aren’t held until December, but the time is now for a city to start planning, start recruiting volunteers and start pouring over every detail leading up to the event. I think we can safely assume Birmingham will still at least be in the rotation, but who else – if anyone – will host with the title games?

We know the AHSAA conducted site visits to Montgomery and Mobile late last year. The big question that must be answered is do those sites have everything needed to host the AHSAA’s biggest event? Crucial in those conversations are the number of suites in each stadium and the number of lockerrooms available. Since three games are held each day of the Super 7, a total of four lockerrooms are needed.

A decision could be made at the next Central Board meeting on Jan. 22.

2. Will Alabama continue to stand against high school NIL?

This was a question last year at this time and likely will continue to be moving forward. New AHSAA executive director Heath Harmon stated last summer that he needed to “determine the current reality of the entire organization … Where are we wanting to go and how do we get there?” More than 30 states now allow high school athletes to profit from name, image, likeness in some form or fashion. Alabama is not one of them even though several high-profile athletes – including multiple prominent basketball players – have left the state to finish their high school careers.

In an AL.com survey of high school football coaches last summer, the majority voted a resounding “no” when asked if Alabama should join the states allowing NIL.

“NIL is coming, and I’m retiring when it does,” one coach said. “Coaches in education don’t make enough money to deal with children trying to get money for their behalf. Plus, parents already make our job extremely difficult without bringing money into the equation. It’s a lose-lose.”

The question will continue to dominate in 2025 and beyond.

3. Which teams will be national championship good in 2025?

Alabama had two teams in two different sports declared national champions in 2024.

Orange Beach softball was declared national champion by MaxPreps after winning their fourth straight state title. The Makos finished 46-1 and should be primed for another run after losing just three players to graduation.

Central-Phenix City flag football was named consensus national champion by NFL Flag and USA Today after winning the Class 6A/7A state title in December. The Red Devils finished 19-0 and outscored their opponents 844-49.

Both of those teams could be in the running for more national recognition this year. Other contenders to be nationally recognized include Hoover boys basketball and Thompson football.

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Who is the Player of the Year?

This week, we at AL.com started a three-week process to crown the fan’s choice for the best high school football player in Alabama in 2024.

Our staff selected 16 players representing different positions, classifications and regions from the state of Alabama and seeded them 1-16 for an NCAA Tournament-like bracket.

The first round of voting started this week and will end Monday. Those winners will advance to the quarterfinals next week. The eventual winner will be announced Jan. 22.

We hope you will vote with us throughout the next three weeks.

The Alabama Sports Writers Association will announce its Mr. Football winner on Jan. 28 in Montgomery.

Newsletters are back

After taking a slight break during the holidays, our high school newsletters are back starting today.

We produce two newsletters a week in Mobile, Huntsville and Birmingham. They come straight to your inbox on Tuesdays and Fridays and are free. The newsletters recap what is going on in each market and statewide.

The Friday newsletter includes a column from yours truly that you can only see if you subscribe.

To sign up for one – or all – of the newsletters, just go to al.com/newsletters.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

“To reveal the kingdom coming

And to reconcile the lost

To redeem the whole creation

You did not despise the cross

For even in your suffering

You saw to the other side

Knowing this was our salvation

Jesus for our sake you died.”

– “King of Kings”

Ben Thomas is the high school sports managing producer at AL.com. He has been named one of the 50 legends of the Alabama Sports Writers Association. Follow him on twitter at @BenThomasPreps or email him at bthomas@al.com.