Staff photo
Spain Park's Kamia Dawsey
Spain Park’s Kamia Dawsey (1) protects the ball during the Spain Park vs. Chelsea basketball game at Chelsea High School on Jan. 24.
Spain Park High School’s girls basketball team enters the 2025-26 season in a much different place than a year ago. The Jaguars graduated seven seniors from last year’s roster and turned almost entirely toward the future.
What remains is one of the youngest groups head coach John Hadder has led in his career.
“We lost nine kids off the group we had last year,” Hadder said. “Seven of them were seniors … this is a completely different group.”
Of the 14 players who worked through the summer, 10 were eighth- or ninth-graders. That number alone shows where Spain Park is starting — and why the voices of senior Teagan Huey and junior Kamia Dawsey matter so much.
“These two are the most senior-type kids that we have from a leadership standpoint,” Hadder said. “They both really exemplify what our kids are about.”
With such a young roster, the Jaguars spent most of June and July building habits rather than chasing wins. The coaching staff didn’t stack the calendar with games. They stayed in the gym, laid the foundation and let the group learn what Spain Park basketball looks like.
“This summer for us, it was just teaching,” Hadder said. “Trying to kind of learn how we want to play.”
Despite their youth, the returning players have seen encouraging things.
“Every single one of our players are very ambitious and eager to learn,” Dawsey said. “Everybody might not get it on the first try, but the biggest thing is our effort.”
Huey echoed that sentiment, and she also steps into a newfound responsibility as the team’s lone senior. Her leadership carries weight.
“Just try and get the girls younger than me on the same page as everyone,” she said.
“She’s team mom,” Hadder added. “And you have to have people fill that role.”
There’s plenty of talent on the roster, even if it’s young and unproven. Eighth-grader Elle Smith has stood out for her work ethic. Chenelle Hunter “is definitely going to be a big impact,” according to Huey.
Dawsey praised eighth-grader Sia Roberts for her basketball intelligence and mentioned the growth of Lynlee Franks, an excellent shooter. Ninth-grader Nylah Calhoun has experience despite her age and continues to improve.
The question for Hadder remains in how quickly the team is able to grow and mature.
“We’re super young, but the chemistry is really good,” he said. “We expect to be competitive. We’re not going in saying that’s any kind of excuse … we want to be right there in the mix.”
Spain Park knows December may come with bumps. But they also believe January and February may look different as the group settles in.
“No matter how we start, I know that we can finish to the best of our abilities,” Dawsey said.
Abby Whatley and Bentley Watts are sophomores, with Libby Gray, Beatrice Parker and Morgan Bryant expected to contribute as freshmen as well. Aria Knight and Averi Norwood are eighth-graders who round out the varsity lineup.
The Lady Jags’ December slate includes matchups with Oak Mountain, Hueytown, Huffman, Cornerstone and Pell City, along with a few showcase events. In January, Spain Park will play area foes Chelsea, Pelham and Helena twice.
