BREMEN, Ala. — Having a disability can be tough and you see some people getting teased or laughed at because they can’t do things that normal people do. People that have disabilities are inspiring to watch because they teach all of us that life is precious and to take it one day at a time. That’s certainly the case for Cold Springs Coach, Heath Parker. Parker has autism, but that doesn’t stop him from helping out his sister, Head Coach Paige Adams, and their dad.
All of the Cold Springs varsity and JV softball players talk about Heath’s smile and how it brightens up their day when they see him. He always gives them fist bumps before and during the games. Senior Heidi Nichols talked about how he has inspired not only her, but the whole team.
“He is inspiring to us in not only softball, but life,” Nichols said. “Watching him go through life with a smile on his face, knowing all of his battles, is what inspires me. He is always so positive. I’ve never seen him with a frown on his face. He is our biggest supporter and no matter what the situation is, he is always happily cheering us on. I think everybody could learn from him. I know I could. His faith is also very inspiring to me. Through all of his struggles and trials, he has remained to be one of the most faithful people I know. He is a very special human being and means the world to our team. I think Heath’s one of the things that makes our team so special and sets us apart from the other teams.”
Coach Paige Adams talked about how much he has inspired the team, as well as herself and the entire Cold Springs community.
“Just getting this job and being able to have Heath in the dugout with me has just been a dream come true,” Adams said. “He’s been my biggest inspiration since I was little, always a big brother taking care of me. I know that he’s a blessing to them and they’re a blessing to him too, so it’s just a really cool thing to see them interact with him and him to interact with them. He is always here every single day, on the dot, at 3:00. These girls will tell you that he is their favorite coach. It hurts my feelings a little bit (laughs). You will see him smile one time and he’ll make you melt, so I think that they truly do play for him. He’s their biggest fan for sure.”
Adams added, “He has made me who I am growing up with him and just knowing that he doesn’t get all of the opportunities that everybody else gets. But he makes the best of what he has and just lights up any room that he walks into. He has pushed me to be who I am and definitely be better every single day. We’re from here and anybody that sees Heath, knows Heath. I guarantee you, like with all of these girls, the first thing that you say about Heath is his smile, how infectious his smile is. It’s hard to catch him on a bad day. We all come down here from a long day at school and girls being girls sometimes, we need some sort of light and every time he comes in through the fences, there’s a shift and the light flips on. He’s just been a big part of this community since I was here, and he doesn’t meet a stranger. Everybody in this community knows who Heath Parker is.”
Coach Adams is very lucky to have not only Heath in the dugout with her, but her dad as well. “It’s everything, I mean, just having the support and coaching’s no easy gig,” Adams said. “It’s no easy feat. Just having the support of my dad and my brother knowing that they’ve supported me in everything; it just gives me a chance to give back and allow Heath to be a part of something that is bigger than we are and hopefully that we can leave a lasting impact on these girls.”
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