Emerson era begins at Curry

D.J. Emerson has spent several years as an assistant coach among
area’s most prominent programs. He will have the opportunity to show
skills as a head coach for the first time at the helm of the Curry
Yellow Jackets.

His challenge will be to reverse the fortunes of a Curry program that
has went 0-20 in the past two seasons and hasn’t won a game since
2018.

Enthusiastic to get started, Emerson has implemented changes within
the program to put the Yellow Jackets on the correct course.

“A week before I arrived at the school I had all of our middle school
and high school players working out together to bring cohesion within
our program, which they did all summer. We’re really excited about
growing the program,” Emerson said. “We’re a little low in numbers,
but we’re trying to create some positive energy within the team and
working at it day by day. The buy-in from the players we’ve had who
returned has been outstanding.”

Along with the changes to how the team conducted offseason workouts,
Emerson stated he didn’t want wins and losses to be how his players
define success.

“I want us to focus on how we do the little things right, whether it’s
having perfect attendance, keeping the locker room clean, winning the
small battles day-in and day-out. If we take care of the little things
with everyone in the program moving in the right direction, the
scoreboard will eventually take care of itself,” Emerson said. “The
biggest thing is to create a positive atmosphere. Anything we can due
to further help create the positive feelings we want to attain, it
will spread throughout the school and into our community.”

Two of the program’s seniors, WR/DB Jackson Kelley and lineman Eli
McNeal, will be called upon to provide big plays and leadership.

McNeal stated a win early in the season could be pivotal for moral and
momentum that could cascade throughout the program.

“Winning early would certainly big for everyone – everyone in and
around our team wants it and we’re eager to earn it,” McNeal said.

Kelley stated keeping focused on each workout, practice and play will
be what helps shape the Yellow Jacket’s future.

“What’s in the past is in the past and there’s nothing we can do to
change that. Instead, we’ll look to establishing a standard and
working hard,” Kelley said.

Curry will host just three home games due to Covid protocols on
forfeitures last season, with Fayette County being the lone Class 4A,
Region 5 game played at home. Region contests against Hamilton, Oak
Grove, Northside, Haleyville and Gordo will all be on the road, along
with the non-region opener against Carbon Hill and Winston County. The
Yellow Jackets will host Oakman in non-region play and close the
season at home against West Point.

Curry Yellow Jackets 2021 Schedule

8/19 7:00 PM
at Carbon Hill High School

8/27 7:00 PM
Oakman High School

9/3 7:00 PM
at Hamilton High School

9/10 7:00 PM
Fayette County High School

9/24 6:00 PM
at Winston County High School

10/1 7:00 PM
at Oak Grove High School

10/8 7:00 PM
at Northside High School

10/15 7:00 PM
at Haleyville High School

10/22 7:00 PM
at Gordo High School

10/28 7:00 PM
West Point High School