Taylor Beck, Correspondent
GUNTERSVILLE — For head coach Adam Winegarden, the success of Albertville High School’s football program will extend far beyond the scoreboard.
Since taking over in June, Winegarden’s priority has been to develop and prepare his players for life outside the game, which he views as the chief cornerstone for a successful program.
During Marshall County’s WQSB Media Day, held July 29 at Guntersville City Harbor, Winegarden further emphasized his commitment to “holistic development.”
“Our main focus has been on whole player development,” Winegarden said. “We feel like we have a very intentional plan to not just develop players but also create a program that brings value to everybody in our community, right? And so we’re at the beginning stages of that, and we take holistic development seriously. So, our academic development, athletic development, how we develop as a person in our character, how we connect with our community. We feel like those are all very key ingredients to have a successful program, right? And so, it’s been a really fun experience. The kids have been absolutely fantastic. I’ve seen a lot of improvement with them over the summer.
“The whole key is trying to create an experience where these kids leave our program better prepared for the real world,” Winegarden added. “We call it living a life of victory… If we’re not using football in a manner that teaches skills that helps kids live a life of excellence, then we’re really failing at our jobs.”
Winegarden brings decades of coaching experience and wealth of knowledge to Albertville. Winegarden holds a 131-55 high school coaching record, with stints at Tuscaloosa County, Fairhope and Auburn, among others. He most recently worked for Troy University’s football program as director of leadership and high school relations.
Aggie players in attendance for media day included Cooper Scott, Taliq Saint, Jude Fann, C.J. Zuniga, Christian Ramirez, and Mason Frolic. They’ve already felt a great impact by Winegarden’s presence in a short time.
“The first day he came in and talked to us … he really had a high demeanor of him like, ‘You’re going to respect me, and I’m going to respect you.’ And just pushing us to a higher level like we weren’t used to before,” Ramirez said.
“He came in and showed us how to be a team the right way, and to stay a team. Not just in practice, but outside of practice,” Scott said.
Winegarden’s philosophy centers on achieving “daily wins” and a fearless approach to growth.
“We tell the kids… don’t worry about if you get it right or wrong” he said. “Just go hard. Give us everything you got, and if we do make a mistake, then let’s have a coachable spirit. Let’s listen and improve, and let’s take it one step at a time. But as long as we’re making small strides each day, then we’re winning, right? And so, we’re looking for daily wins and building a program.”
Players echoed the sentiment of Winegarden’s broader vision.
“He set the standard really early, and he told us what he expects from us and that we need to grow as a team,” Fann said.
“He was teaching us about life and about lead ership, about toughness and all that stuff. And it’s just a blessing to have somebody like Coach Winegarden,” Zuniga added.
Despite starting his tenure in the summer, Winegarden remains unfazed by the timing.
“We always say, the football season is like a math class. You play a chapter at a time,” he said. “Right now we’re kind of in that pretest phase. We’re learning what kind of team we have, and as the year goes there’s ebbs and flows to it.”
He views each team as having its own identity, a process that unfolds naturally regardless of how long he’s been with a program, and the Aggies will be no different.
“We’re looking for 11 guys that are going to compete with everything they can on both sides of the football,” Winegarden said. “Competitive spirit and the right mindset is like the fuel in your car, right? If you don’t have those things, the car ain’t going nowhere.”
Albertville seeks the program’s first win since 2022.
Albertville opens the 2025 campaign on the road at Arab on Aug. 21.
