Dear Editor,
I’ll miss this old gym. Don’t get me wrong, I’m excited for our babies to be able to enjoy the new one across the road, but this will always be my Reeltown High School Gym.
The outside appearance may be old and outdated, but the bones are still good and the memories that come out of this building are plentiful. Memories of standing on that court on Friday afternoons cheering during pep rallies with the elementary kids sitting on the visitor’s side and the high school kids on the home side while we danced to the band’s music and we threw basket tosses (Ashlee!) and listened to our Reeltown boys hype us up for the football game coming that night. Cheering in those stands as LA and Joe Mack and Jack all played their hearts out during basketball season. Tessa Butler showing them girls she ruled that basketball court. I miss seeing Coach Hammonds out there, too. Watching Coach O lose it on the refs when they made bad calls. Coach Taylor and his Lady Rebels. Our own little student section that we had. Battling it out across the gym with the rival cheerleaders. Hollering and stomping as loud as we could so the opposing team would miss free throws. So many good, fun memories. Seems like yesterday.
Fast forward 20+ years to where I am cheering in a different capacity as a Mama to my own babies playing basketball on that court. Watching Jake dance the Mean Girls dance during his senior HOCO skit. Hugging him on that court and remembering this is his last days as a student at RHS.
No more games will be had in here. Breaks my heart in a way. I grew up in here. From Kindergarten all the way up to 12th grade.
It’s an old building to some, but it will always be home to me.
Heather Musick Fulford
Reeltown, Alabama
