Bulldogs ranked #9 in preseason poll

ADDISON - Building on the winning path both he and his predecessors have created, Addison High School Head Football Coach David Smothers and his Dawgs are ready for a season that will be like none other.
According to the Alabama High School Athletic Association, the Addison Bulldogs  had the highest percentage of wins in football in all of Winston County over the past decade.  Smothers, who is beginning his ninth year as head football coach, believes there are several reasons behind this tradition of excellence.
“We have kids that are gritty and have a lot of character.  That comes from home, the way they are raised,”  Smothers said.
Smothers also believes that the coaches who have come through Addison through the decades, such as  Coach A.C. Hicks, Coach Allen Stephenson, Coach Steven Smothers, Coach Phillip Wilson and Coach Randy White, have set the foundation for where Addison football is today.
“Those winning teams and traditions make it easier to coach now.  When I go into any game, my kids are expecting to win, and that pays big dividends.  Coach Hicks got the ball rolling, and the coaches we have had since then stem from his blood line. The overall stem of things looks different, but all of that expectation came from Coach Hicks.  He planted that seed many years ago, and it has been cultivated.  I have been reaping the benefits from all that came to me through blood, sweat and tears,”  Smothers said.
That hard work and dedication has made Addison stand out through the years, as well.  The Bulldogs are coming into the season ranked #9 in the Alabama Sports Writers Association for Class 2A.
Smothers has key players returning to this year’s team, players he is expecting to step up and make big plays.
“Christian Roberts is coming back at quarterback.  He played in just about every game last year, if not as starting QB then at some point in the game.  Weston Smith and Nelson Martin are back, and are big playmakers.  Ross Steele and Mark Williams are back on the offensive line,” Smothers detailed.  “The defense will be strong, too.”