LaFayette volunteers tackle stadium cleanup
BY DANIEL SCHMIDT
THE LAFAYETTE SUN
LAFAYETTE — LaFayette High School’s Bulldog Stadium received a timely face-lift after more than 40 players, coaches and volunteers gathered for a cleanup event.
That gathering, held on Sunday, July 19, aimed to remove lingering trash, trim weeds, organize locker rooms and prep the practice field for full-pad practices.
For some volunteers, like Powell Chapel United Methodist Church pastor Kelsey Barnes, the time spent on Sunday had a deeper meaning than just getting the stadium presentable ahead of the 2026 season.
“Being a local pastor, I believe that my mission is outreach past the pulpit,” Barnes said. “These young men matter greatly to me. A lot of times, I say that one of my missions is to keep these boys’ butts out of jail and their souls out of Hell, and I think that one way of doing that is showing servant leadership and commitment to the community. If we show these things are important prayerfully, it’ll trickle down to them as well.”
Barnes added that although he attended former rival school Five Points High School, he was eager to give back to the community he now calls home.
“This community is so full of love, joy and unity,” Barnes said. “This is just one way of us giving back, and I’m grateful for the opportunity for this. It says a lot about LaFayette, how they come together, especially in difficult and hard times. And just the love and the strength woven into this community, I think that speaks volumes.”
LHS head football coach Douglas Jones said that volunteers like Barnes are the lifeblood of a small-town program that has limited resources compared to some other area schools.
“It just shows that people here take pride in their school and their community,” Jones said. “You think this is a small thing, but it’s a very big part of helping keep these facilities up to par. We don’t have the resources like those 6A and 5A schools, but we have the fans and the people who love our school as if it was a 6A or 5A school. So having that love they have for our city, this football team and the community is big for us.”
Jones said the response from the community to support the program in this manner also only validated his decision to return to his alma mater and lead the Bulldogs.
“When I first saw the job open up, I jumped on it because of the love I have for [LaFayette],” Jones said. “Seeing that same love being reciprocated from people who don’t have to do it on their time off on a Sunday afternoon is big for me. It makes my heart smile.”
Senior Bulldogs football players Jeremiah Whitlow and Zaquarious Jackson echoed Jones’ sentiment, saying that the community’s response was inspiring.
“It feels good and like [there’s] way more support from the city than last year, more people coming that show love for every game before the season even starts,” Whitlow said. “It shows determination and love for real.”
Jackson said he felt a similar feeling.
“It means a lot because everybody wants to come out and show support, and everybody is coming together as a team,” Jackson said. “It shows there’s a lot of love, and there’s always someone out here who wants to help make the community better.”
The Bulldogs host their first home game on Friday, Aug. 28, against Beauregard High School.
It will be the first season LHS competes as a Class 1A school after the Alabama High School Athletic Association created two new private school divisions in January.
