In the home locker room of Bryant-Denny Stadium, six Cullman Cyclones Wee Wee football players discovered something only a few Tide football insiders know.
While taking a tour of the locker room during their four-day skills camp with Alabama coach Nick Saban, one of the Tide’s assistant coaches pointed out a rug to Matt Clark, Andrew Clark, David Dueland, Fletcher Jennings, Barrett Faulkner and Tanner Brown.
The rug, which covers a large portion of the locker room floor, is in the shape of Alabama’s famous “A” logo. After pointing it out, the coach let the players in on a secret.
“We got to see the big A, it’s a carpet in the locker room,”
said Tanner, who plays quarterback for the Cyclones. “It’s bad luck to step on it.”
And that wasn’t the only thing the six young football players learned during the camp, which ran from June 15-18. For one, Tanner said the coaches also showed them the picture of Paul “Bear”
Bryant that Alabama players tap on the way out of the locker room.
“Before they run out, there’s a Bear Bryant picture and they tap it every time they run out,”
said Tanner.
But the youngsters weren’t the only ones receiving an education in the history of Alabama football. Tanner’s father, David, who coaches the Cyclones, said he and the rest of the staff got a chance to see each individual locker — and the names of the players who had dressed there in the past.
Names like Barker, Humphrey, Bennett, Krauss, Namath and Stabler lined the lockers — a fact that left Brown speechless.
“In the game locker room, they had every locker numbered,”
said Brown. “And you look above 37 and you see who has number now. Then you see all the All-Americans that wore that number. We were taken in by the tradition of all of it.”
Out on the playing field, both the youngsters and coaches said they learned plenty about the game of football. And even though there were over 750 kids at the camp, Brown said the event was so well organized that it was still possible to learn.
“From a coaching standpoint, it gave us an opportunity to be hands-on, to see these coaches and what their drills are,”
said Brown. “And most importantly for me, why they do them.”
According to Tanner, the biggest thrill was getting to watch his favorite player and fellow quarterback John Parker Wilson practice on the same field. It was an experience Tanner’s father called “once in a lifetime.”
“They were mesmerized by the players,”
said Brown. “Obviously, they all know who John Parker Wilson is. To walk out on the field with him, it’s almost like playing catch with your hero.”
Brown added that the Cyclone coaching staff is considering a return to next year’s camp. The only difference is they’re trying to get the whole team involved. To get there, Brown said the team will be planning fundraisers throughout the year.
Based on Tanner’s feelings, the return trip will definitely be worth it.
“It will be great, I’ll be more experienced,”
he said. “And it’ll probably be more fun.”
