Ricky Weems

Weems was an outstanding multi-sport athlete at Wellborn High School, earning letters in football, basketball, track and baseball for the Panthers.

In football, Weems was a four-year letterman and a four-year starter, playing fullback on offense and linebacker on defense. In his junior season, he was honorable mention all-county at fullback. As a senior in the 1967 season, Weems was first-team all-county at fullback and earned second-team all-state honors from the both the Birmingham News and the Associated Press. The Anniston Quarterback Club named him the defensive player of the year for Calhoun County. In August of 1968, Weems played in the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s North-South all-star game before entering Jacksonville State University on a football scholarship.

Weems was a three-year letterman in track at Wellborn, specializing in the discus. As a senior in 1968, he finished second in the discus in the county meet, first in the Class 3A district meet, first in the sectional meet with a meet-record throw of 136 feet, 4 inches and second at the state meet. As a junior, Weems won the discus competition at the county and district meets and was second in the sectional meet. He was second in the county meet and district champion as a sophomore.

In basketball at Wellborn, Weems lettered three years and was a starter as a junior and again as a senior when he averaged 15 points a game. When Wellborn resumed baseball his senior year, Weems pitched and his victories included two one-hitters.

During his football career at Jacksonville State, Weems was a four-year letterman and four-year starter. He was all-conference as a junior and a senior and led the Gamecocks in tackles each year. Following his senior season, he was elected a permanent captain and named most valuable back.

During his 35-year high school coaching career, Weems’ duties always included football, specifically linebackers. He was Calhoun County baseball coach of the year at Jacksonville in 1977 and 1A-3A boys basketball coach of the year at Ohatchee in 1989.