Sparkman’s Dale Palmer Wins Game No. 1,000

HARVEST-   Sparkman Senators’ softball head coach Dale Palmer reached the 1,000 win plateau this week with his squad’s 13-2 victory over Florence in a contest held at the home of the Lady Senators. Currently in his 23rd season at the helm of one of the highly-rated programs in Alabama, the 48-year old attributes the number of games won to the amount of hard work his players and assistant coaches have put in during his tenure at the school.

“Winning is a by-product of hard work as I believe winning is not the driving factor, it is execution and doing your best,” said Palmer. “I’m amazed by all of the victories in my career, but to have those wins, we’ve stressed communication and executing the little things as all of that equates to winning.”

All of his victories have come at the varsity level with Sparkman as Palmer took the position not knowing how long he would remain the head coach. Once a biology teacher, Palmer now teaches boys physical education at the Sparkman ninth grade academy where he has been since 2006.

In his span of nearly a quarter of a century with the Lady Senators, Palmer has guided his teams to six state championships and three runners-up finishes. Heading into the first round of the state playoffs where the Senators host Gadsden City, Sparkman is ranked No. 3 in the Class 7A state rankings and is 29-6 on the season including winning the Area 7 title with a perfect 6-0 record. Although they have hovered near the top of the rankings all season long, they have not reached No.1. This is the first season since 2006 the Lady Senators have not reached the summit among the top schools in Alabama.

Palmer has been blessed with a bevy of top players and determined young girls who follow the guidance of focusing on the goal set each season. Palmer added, “This game is like a mosaic of little pieces that must fit together for success. Consistency of our message is the difference.”

A humble gentleman, Palmer said he never wears the six state championship rings he has among his collection as he feels that sort of marks the end of something. He has them kept away in his home located on the northern edge of Madison.

“I always want my players to have a shot at winning a state title as I know how that feels,” said Palmer. “I won a state title as a football player in high school, as a student assistant coach and the six titles here at Sparkman. I want to enable the players to succeed. Sometimes failing teaches success and to win big, thus I tell my players not to be afraid to take a chance.”

Palmer said players, parents, assistant coaches and school administrations have each been a big support basis to his coaching style and success. He has strong spiritual beliefs in his life and is proud of the fact he feels his team has a good shot at proceeding through the upcoming playoffs. He also celebrated the recent birth of his first grandchild from his daughter, Hannah, who herself won two state championships while playing for her father at Sparkman.

“The Good Lord saw it to bless me,” said Palmer. “I wasn’t put here at Sparkman by accident.”