Where there's a will, there's a way

Just days before the biggest football game of his coaching career, Rueben Nelson sat inside an office in the corner of the bustling front office of Ramsay High School. Nelson, the school’s head football coach, was three days away from taking his team on the final step of an incredible — if somewhat unbelievable — journey.

He likened the whole thing to a roller coaster ride that began in 2012, when he took over a proud program dormant since the 1976 season concluded. He talked about his stomach jumping as he traveled through the twists and turns. He admitted his stomach has finally quit churning, and his arms are raised in joy.

He talked about the end.

“That’s where I am right now with these kids,” Nelson said with a small, bittersweet smile creasing his face. “I’m at the end of the roller coaster ride, but everything is feeling good. I finally got my hands extended, but it’s going to come to an end.”

On Dec. 2, moments after his team beat Opelika, 21-16, in the Class 6A state championship game, Nelson took a step forward onto the playing field at Jordan-Hare Stadium on the campus of Auburn University and dropped to his knees. 

The ride was over. 

Tears escaped his eyes and rolled down his cheeks as he was engulfed by a group of kids who brought a state football championship back to the city of Birmingham for the first time since now-defunct Banks High won the second of its back-to-back titles in 1973. 

“I believe that God has his hand all over this team,” Nelson said. “I believe that God has the power to make small things into big things. I can’t think of anything starting out smaller, but I know the Alabama High School [Athletic] Association’s championship is a big thing.”

Truly understanding the moment, though, is impossible without considering what this group has endured to reach the top. 

It’s a team that not only doesn’t have a home stadium but also doesn’t have a practice field at the school. The players and coaches took the 10-mile bus trip to Lawson Field at the end of each school day for practice. They often didn’t return to the school until well after 7 p.m. If there was a problem with the bus transportation, practice was called off. Workouts had to be held in shifts because the weight room has just four weight racks. The team not only has no field house, which most schools in the Birmingham metro area have, but it also has no locker room to call its own. 

“I was under the impression that we would get all the things that other schools got when we came in,” Nelson said. “People don’t know how much these kids have endured.”

The toughest times to endure were the early days. In 2012, the Rams won just one of 10 games, were outscored 401-140, and lost to Homewood 75-13. The following year, in Ramsay’s first varsity season since the return, the Rams finished 2-8, including a 54-6 loss to Homewood. 

Times weren’t good.

“There is just something about these kids, man,” Nelson said “I’m just being honest with you; I don’t know if I would come back, when everybody in the school laughs at you. Everybody in the school is itching for basketball season to start. That’s just a testament to this graduating class.”

Members of this year’s senior class were forced into action as freshmen in 2013 because the Rams didn’t have any lower level teams. 

But things changed the following season. 

Nelson’s third team included about 20 sophomores in the rotation, with at least half of those starters, and finished 11-2, advancing to the second round of the Class 5A playoffs. Last season, the Rams finished 7-4 and lost in the first round of the 5A playoffs.

Another factor in the ascension was a strength and conditioning program run by former UAB and NFL defensive lineman Otis Leverette.

“I called him after that 2013 season and said, ‘I need help getting these guys tough,’” Nelson said. “He got these kids tougher, man. We wanted to let Otis have them, get them ready and give them back to us ready to play football.”

However, even with things going well, the Rams faced another roadblock before the season when they were moved to Class 6A.

“I knew we were good, but I thought we’d be a good 5A team,” Nelson said. “Now, I’m thinking to myself, can we compete at 6A? All that we’ve done could be ruined because we’re going 6A. That’s the human side of me.”

No need to worry. 

The Rams were led by a senior class that included Alabama’s Mr. Football candidate quarterback Baniko Harley; they had one of the best lines in the state and key members of a defense that made big play after big play. In the end, they lost to only one team from the state this season.  

They also gave Nelson memories that will never fade, which he thought about each time he traveled to a game on the team bus.

“For that moment, I’m the highest paid, most powerful coach in America because I love that ride with these kids,” Nelson said. “Let me tell you something, man: Getting off that bus with another set of kids, will be different. I’ve learned to enjoy every minute with these kids, because I know I didn’t have much time left with them to be their head coach in this capacity. It’s been wonderful.”