Not Swindalling
Published 12:15 am Friday, July 10, 2009
Zeb Swindall has been named all-county the past two seasons for the Charles Henderson Trojans football team, but Swindall will represent his school in a much grander fashion July 17 in Huntsville.
The graduated senior who has plans to walk on at Troy University will play in the North-South game as a part of the 13th Annual Alabama All-Star Sports Week.
“This is truly an honor to be selected and represent my school and my city,” Swindall said. “I am just trying to stay in shape so I can perform next week.”
Swindall said it was exciting to find out about the honor and he cannot wait to suit up July 17 at Louis Crews Stadium on the campus of Alabama A&M University.
Charles Henderson head football coach Hugh Fountain said the reason Swindall made the squad is easy to spot.
“He has a lot of intangible things that a lot of other players don’t have,” Fountain said. “Not only was he aggressive and mean, but he was also very strong. I am sure there are other linemen who are as mean and scrappy, but who maybe weren’t nearly as strong as Zeb.”
Fountain said Swindall has been a staple of CHHS football since he was in the seventh grade.
“We are going to miss Zeb because he has been with us a long time,” Fountain said. “He was a manager for a long time and he came on to play for us for four years. He is just a great kid and I am proud he was picked for the North-South all-star game.”
Fountain said Swindall is the first Trojan to make the North-South game since Jacquez Williams and Josh Post played in the 2004 game when Fountain was one of the coaches for the South squad.
“We have had several in either the North-South game or the Alabama-Mississippi game,” Fountain said. “The good thing about these games is that it opens up the door for other kids to make the team from your school. If they work hard and do a good job during that week of play then they are more likely to come back in the future and get another kid from your school.”
Swindall has already graduated from high school and he is set to go to Troy, but no matter what happens at Troy he said it feels great to have one last high school game to play in.
“This is just the icing on the cake,” he said. “I am glad high school is over and this is a great way to go out.”
Swindall may be glad school is finished, but he will miss some things about playing football with the CHHS Trojans.
“I am going to miss the camaraderie,” Swindall said. “I grew up with these guys and I am going to miss them.”
Joining Swindall in Huntsville for the week will be four of Charles Henderson’s rising seniors. K.D. Edenfield and Chance Shaver will be on the South squad for the baseball game, Taylor Smartt will play in the softball game and Douglas McLendon will represent his school on the South in the soccer game.
“This shows that our school is pretty good at every sport we do,” Swindall said. “We have people from soccer, baseball and softball so we have talent everywhere. It will definitely feel more comfortable to have classmates up there. I know I have to report up there on Monday and if I have time I am going to try and swing by.”
The football game will be July 17 at 7 p.m. from Louis Crews Stadium. Edenfield and Shaver hit the field for the baseball doubleheader July 13 at 4 p.m., McLendon starts kicking away at 7 p.m. July 14 in the soccer game and Smartt hits the diamond at 6 p.m. July 15 for the softball doubleheader.