MONTGOMERY – The Alabama High School Athletic Association announced Thursday afternoon its Central Board of Control approved Albertville’s Sand Mountain Park and Amphitheater as the new site for the East Softball Regional, which will be played May 11-14, 2022.
With the corresponding area alignments, which were also unveiled Thursday, all of the qualifying WEIS Radio coverage area softball teams (Cedar Bluff, Cherokee County, Collinsville, Gaylesville, Piedmont, Sand Rock and Spring Garden) will now be part of the new regional.
Albertville becomes the sixth softball regional venue area teams have been a part of since the AHSAA approved the softball regional format in 2010. The others include Vestavia Hills, Huntsville, Tuscaloosa, Florence, and Montgomery.
Last year, the AHSAA announced Montgomery’s Lagoon Park – the longtime state tournament site – as the East Central Softball Regional host, which is where qualifying area teams competed. Cedar Bluff, Piedmont, Sand Rock and Spring Garden all advanced from that regional to the state tournament, which was held at Oxford’s Choccolocco Park.
The state tournament will continue to be held at Oxford’s Choccolocco Park in 2022.
Cherokee County softball coaches have been receptive of the regional move to Albertville’s Sand Mountain Park. Some of them are already quite familiar with the venue, having already played in tournaments there the past couple of seasons.
“I’m very excited for the move,” said Cedar Bluff coach Garrett Crane, whose team made its first state tournament appearance last season. “The convenience of travel will be beneficial for our players, families, and fans. On top of that, it’s one of the nicest facilities we’ve played on. It’s all turf with spring screen walls. You can’t beat that playing surface. It’s as nice as any college facility. We are excited for the opportunity to play in Albertville during regional play.”
“I’m really good with going there. It’s closer and it’s a nice facility,” Spring Garden softball coach Ann Welsh said. “We’ve played there in the past and we have two tournaments there this coming season. I feel like we’ll be comfortable with the fields.”
“It’s exciting for this area to have a regional event (in Albertville),” Sand Rock softball coach Josh Bates said. “It’s an hour away from our school. It’ll be great for our area to have that level of softball being played there. The venue is unbelievable. That park is top-notch.”
Like Cedar Bluff and Spring Garden, Sand Rock has also played at the park in the past.
“We played in a tournament up there last year,” Bates said. “It’s really a beautiful place. All the fields are turf. They have a signature field by itself. It’s got stadium seating around it. The other fields are all turf too.”
Playing on the turf fields shouldn’t be the only excitement players from Spring Garden and Sand Rock have during regional play. Bates noted four of last year’s Class 2A state tournament participants (Sand Rock, Spring Garden, Pisgah and Sumiton Christian) could potentially face each other in Albertville for the right to go to the state tournament.
“We could all be battling to get to the state tournament again, along with Cleveland, West End and Ider, who all have had really good programs,” he said. “It will be a very high-level of softball. It should make for some exciting games and some gray hairs for some coaches.”
But the main reason area softball teams and their fans should be excited is less travel time. Last season, Cherokee County area schools had to travel approximately 150 miles to their regional destination at Montgomery’s Lagoon Park. Now, they’ll travel less than 50 miles to Albertville.
“Moving regionals to Albertville will be much closer for us and more realistic for our fans to support the team,” Cherokee County High School coach Brad Weaver said. “Our fans create that hometown feel, and that makes for a great playing atmosphere.”