Under the Lights Debuts With Elmore County Sports and Community in the Spotlight

Friday nights in Elmore County have always been about more than football. They bring together students, families, coaches, educators and entire communities. That connection is at the center of Under the Lights, a new radio show hosted by longtime broadcaster Doug Amos and ECEDA CEO Richie Beyer.

The show made its debut this week from Baumhower’s Victory Grille in Millbrook, bringing together school leaders, coaches, elected officials and economic development professionals for conversations about athletics, education, community growth and the people behind it all.

Amos and Beyer regularly work with many of the leaders shaping Elmore County. Under the Lights gives them a different setting for those conversations, using sports as a way to explore leadership, teamwork, preparation, community pride and the people helping move the county forward.

The first show opened with Elmore County Board of Education Chairman David Jones and Elmore County Schools Superintendent Richard Dennis. Their conversation focused on the beginning of the school year, the people serving students throughout the system and the importance of helping students find the areas where they feel most connected.

Dennis said extracurricular activities can play an important role in that process. “That’s where the child’s passions are,” Dennis said. For some students, that connection may come through athletics. For others, it may be band, cheer, dance or another activity that gives them a reason to become more involved in school.

“Athletics is a huge part of schools,” Dennis said. He also pointed out that Friday night football involves far more than the players on the field. “It’s not just football players that are showing up for those games,” Dennis said. That larger picture is part of what makes Under the Lights a natural fit for ECEDA. Friday nights create a place for students to compete, perform and support one another while giving families and communities a reason to come together.

The conversation moved to the field when Tallassee Head Football Coach Eric Folmar and Stanhope Elmore Head Football Coach Hunter Adams joined the show. Both coaches discussed the early part of the season, upcoming opponents and the challenges that come with preparing their teams for strong competition. Folmar spoke about the value of finding out early where a team stands. “You need to test your mettle and play with the best kids and see where you’re at,” Folmar said.

The coaches also talked about the atmosphere surrounding high school football in Elmore County and the traditions that come with playing in communities that care deeply about their schools. That support reaches well beyond the sidelines. Friday nights bring alumni back, fill local restaurants, draw families into town and create an atmosphere that becomes part of each community’s identity. The first episode then widened the conversation beyond athletics.

Elmore County Commission Chairman Bart Mercer and Millbrook Economic Development Director Ann Harper joined Amos and Beyer to discuss the partnerships and long-term planning helping shape growth across Elmore County.

Mercer emphasized the importance of cooperation between the county, municipalities, schools, economic development organizations and other local partners. “When you have a common interest to serve the people, you can do a lot of things,” Mercer said. That idea was reflected in the discussion surrounding 17 Springs. Mercer and Harper talked about the work required to move large community projects forward and the role collaboration plays in creating facilities that serve residents while also attracting activity from outside the county.

Harper also spoke about the broader development taking place in and around Millbrook and the importance of making sure projects contribute to quality of life as well as economic growth. Her comments reinforced the idea that successful development is rarely the work of one organization or one municipality. It depends on local partners understanding how their efforts fit into the larger direction of the county.

17 Springs has become one of the clearest examples of that approach. The growing sports and recreation complex creates opportunities for local athletes while also helping bring tournaments, competitors and visitors into Elmore County. Those visitors support restaurants, hotels and businesses while experiencing the communities that make up the county.

That connection between sports and economic development is one of the areas Under the Lights can continue to explore. Sports help develop young people through discipline, accountability, perseverance and teamwork. Coaches and educators reinforce those qualities every day, and the lessons learned through competition can carry into classrooms, careers and leadership roles. At the same time, strong athletic programs and facilities can become part of what makes a community attractive to families, visitors and businesses.

The same fundamentals that help build successful teams are often present in successful communities. Preparation matters. Leadership matters. Teamwork matters. So does having people willing to work toward a shared goal. That is where Under the Lights can bring something different to the conversation.

The show will still talk football. There will be coaches, players, rivalries, game previews and plenty of discussion about what is happening on Friday nights across Elmore County. But the inaugural episode showed that the conversation can go much further.

Through Amos and Beyer, Under the Lights gives ECEDA a new way to highlight the athletes, coaches, educators, elected officials and community leaders who are helping shape Elmore County while showing how the lessons and relationships built through sports can reach far beyond the scoreboard.