LASTING LEGACIES 36 DOWN IN THE DIRT

Photo by Johnathan Bentley

Two generations of Viking tennis success

Text by JOHNATHAN BENTLEY | Photographs submitted

The Vikings had never been in this position before — battling for a state tennis championship in Mobile. Walker had burst onto the state tennis scene that season, taking down state champions and willing their way to the state tournament for the first time.

At state, the upstarts had the deck stacked against them. Despite a list of accomplishments throughout the season, the draw favored the traditional powers. There was also the fact that Walker’s de facto tennis coach was unable to do any onsite coaching at the event.

In the end, the Vikings fell just short, losing to Austin High School by a mere two points. Just one more victory in singles or doubles play and the Vikings would’ve claimed their first state championship.

Thirty two years later and the memory is still fresh. “We went a long way, said Shannon Johnson, the No. 1 seed on the team. “We were close. We really should’ve won it that year. Though the 1989 team didn’t win state that year, a glance at the school’s trophy case confirms that the squad kick-started something special — a state tennis tournament run that continues to the present day.

Since 1989 the Vikings have missed the state tennis tournament just once. Prior to 1989, the team had never made the state tournament.

This year’s group of Vikings, while carrying on the state tradition, has a special connection to that team that put Walker tennis on the map. Three members of that original state runner up team — Johnson, Chad Hill and Jody Barber — have sons playing in Jasper’s top six this season.

Alex Barber is the Vikings’ No. 1 seed, Will Johnson is the No. 2 and Wilkes Hill is No. 6. Barber and Johnson also make up the No. 1 doubles team. The Vikings just closed out another season at the State Tennis Tournament in Mobile where they placed eighth in a loaded Class 6A field. Christian Matthews, himself

Front row, left to right kneeling: Chad Hill and Brad Roberson (State Champions at #5 singles); Middle row, left to right: Dan Johnson, Dwayne Wiginton, Mike McCain, Jody Barber, Shane Wilson, Shannon Johnson and Jason Selman with trophy (Johnson and Selman State Champions #1 doubles) Jason Selman State champion #2 singles. Grant Rolley, Russ Robertson team manager, and James Sparks. Back row: Jeremy Davis.

Walker tennis team celebrates a big win against No. 1-ranked Central Tuscaloosa (Daily Mountain Eagle, 1989)

Shannon Johnson in 1989 Chad Hill in 1989

Shannon Johnson with Grant Rolley who was inducted into the USTA Alabama Hall of Fame in 2018

Johnson with Rolley

[Grant] brought us together and we learned how to win. “

- JODY BARBER

a multiple-time state champion at Walker, is now the head tennis coach.

The common thread between then and now is Grant Rolley, who first started his connection with the Walker — now Jasper — team in 1989. Many of Jasper’s players through the years have gone to Rolley, the tennis pro at Musgrove Country Club, to begin their careers.

Just mentioning Rolley brings back memories to his former players from that very first team.

“It was mostly Shannon that went to Grant and tried to talk him into coaching. We had a high school coach, but he just didn’t really know tennis. Grant taught us how to play competitive, aggressive tennis and how to fight to the end,” Chad Hill said. “That (1989) team had more determination than anything I’ve ever been a part of. We were so committed. I had never played tennis until my senior year. The guys talked me into playing tennis because they said they wanted to win a state championship and they needed one more guy. I said, ‘I don’t know how to play tennis.’ They worked with me every day in the winter so we could end up having a team that could make it to state. We had grit and determination, and look, we are still all great friends today and a lot of that is all because of Grant.”

Walker ended up becoming one of the top programs in the state. The Vikings won their first state tennis championship in 1999. Overall, the program has won 11 boys championships with the last coming in 2018.

“Grant changed the attitude. He made us realize that if we wanted to be better, we had to put in more time. He brought us together and we learned how to win. We were a team. We would yell and scream for our teammates. We were a little rowdier back then, but it was a different time. The thing that really sticks out is that Grant helped develop us into a team that could win,” Jody Barber said. “To this day, Grant has taught all three of my kids in tennis. He’s a good person and wants the best for our kids. That’s what makes him good at what he does,” said Barber, whose older son also played for the Vikings.”

“Grant brought us all together,” Hill said. “We meant a lot to him. We had a high school coach, but it was Grant that taught us how to play competitive, aggressive tennis. Everywhere we went we were revelraisers. We had a little bit of an attitude. For me, it meant a lot to be part of those guys. There are life-long relationships that came out of it.” •

Down in the Dirt

Spring sports are making a comeback in Walker County. Baseball and softball fields that sat eerily silent last year during the pandemic are once again gathering places for kids with smiles on their faces and dirt on their pants and the parents and coaches who love to cheer them on.

Photos by JASON CLARK and JEFF JOHNSEY

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