Jesse Turner / Leeds High School

Parents: Miriam and Eric Turner.

Green Wave sports:  He was a member of Leeds’ varsity football and baseball teams.

Football is his favorite sport.  “Coach (Keith) Etheredge says there’s no feeling like running out through that paper on Friday night, and he’s right.  I have such emotions for the game, I can’t stay away from it.  I won’t be playing at the next level, but coaching is the next best thing to playing.”

His senior baseball season:  Turner pitched and played left field and centerfield.  “This was my first year playing centerfield, so I had to adjust to that.  I’ve played left field for three years now, so it feels like home to me.”  Although he would have preferred a better ending to the season, “our record and how things turned out didn’t reflect how much we had improved.  It was great being a part of a group of seniors who know how it is to win and strive to be competitive.”

After graduation:  He’s off to study secondary education at the University of Alabama.  “I wanted to go to Birmingham Southern College and play football, but I’m glad things worked out at Alabama.  I want to teach English and coach.  I’d like to come back here and work at Leeds one day.”