ORANGE BEACH, Ala. (WKRG) — High school football spring practice continues for teams along the Gulf Coast. WKRG’s in-depth look into local programs turns the spotlight to Orange Beach in our “33 Teams in 33 Days .”
There is a lot of excitement in Orange Beach with new head coach Wade Waldrop at the helm. Waldrop is a veteran coach with previous stops at Hoover, Florence, James Clemens and Chelsea in the last 18 years.
Orange Beach is going into its fifth season as a program and Waldrop will look to lead the team back to the playoffs. The Makos finished 1-8 last season. The new coach is leading the team through spring workouts before hitting the field for fall camp.
“It’s been a really good transition. The community has been great and the players have been great,” Waldrop said. “I’m super excited about being here and it has been a great reception so far.”
In October, the Orange Beach City Council approved a $46 million athletic facility on campus. The facility will include a 3,500-seat football stadium and is expected to be completed in May 2025. Waldrop says the city’s support is important to the program’s growth. “
“The future here with the obviously the facilities, but just the focus and the commitment to doing things the right way from our leadership, our central office in our city. I think any coach would be excited about being a leader and being a part of the community here.”
The team returns several key leaders and they are embracing the challenge of turning things alongside Waldrop.
“I think I’ve been working a lot more this time of the year,” said offensive lineman Jay Lanford. “We’re really trying to be better than we were last season, so we’ve been putting in a lot of work five days a week to make ourselves better.”
2023 Record (notable win):
- 1-8
- Wilcox-Central (region game)
Key players:
- Daniel Hembree, 2025 Defensive End
- Jay Lanford, 2025 Offensive Lineman
- James Key, 2026 Wide Receiver / Linebacker
Key Matchups:
- @ Elberta – 8/23
- @ Satsuma – 9/20
- vs. Escambia County – 10/4
Who’s next:
The next installment will feature the Baldwin County . Follow along WKRG’s “33 teams in 33 days”. Each team will be featured during the 6:30 p.m. newscast on the weekdays and during the 10 p.m. newscast on the weekend.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5.
Most Popular
Comments / 0