BREMEN, Ala. – In this interview, I talked to Cold Springs basketball player Tanner Kilgo. He will be going to Ole Miss to continue his academic career in the fall. Tanner made a lot of great high school memories on and off the court while he was at Cold Springs.
“Winning the county championship was the best basketball memory I made. Some more of my favorite basketball memories were winning area three times and playing in a regional game,” Kilgo said. “My junior year was the most fun playing a sport because we were more like brothers than teammates. We did everything together and we had a lot of fun. Some of my favorite high school memories were going out to football games and supporting my boys out on the field. Going to class with all my friends every day and just being around those guys made it all worth it. Pep rallies were always fun and a time that I will always remember.”
Tanner added,
“Coach Cornelius and Mrs. Adams were my favorite teachers because they were always there for me in the classroom, on the court and off. They were always willing to talk and give me advice and they mentored me to be a better student and athlete. I know they will always have my back.”
Tanner feels blessed to have played for Head Coach Tim Willoughby in high school and learned so much from him.
“Coach Willoughby was the best coach I’ve ever played for. He dedicates so much time and effort into the game and it reflected in the way we performed. He loves the game and he believed in us. For that, I’ll be forever grateful,” Kilgo said. “It was fun playing for coach Willoughby. He studies the game and film and analytics more than anyone. He has a certain way he thinks the game should be played and he showed me how to play that way and I think that was the key to our success. A good team with an even better coach is a really good formula to win games and we did.”
Tanner definitely learned some things during his time as an Eagle and talked about what made it such a special school to go to.
“I learned that if you surround yourself with the right people and just enjoy it while you can, it makes it all worthwhile,” Kilgo said. “Cold Springs is a small town where everybody knows everybody, and I’ve made so many great memories there that I couldn’t even count. My friends, my family, and my community made my high school experience one that I will never forget. It’s a small school and I think people underestimate Cold Springs, but it’s the most welcoming place and it’s like a big family. It was always a great feeling to see all the people that would come out and support our sports teams and cheer as loud as they could. We have a great student body and a great faculty. I wouldn’t have wanted to spend the past 13 years anywhere else.”
Tanner gave some advice to the students that will be starting high school in August.
“My advice to underclassmen is that it doesn’t last forever, so make it count,” Kilgo said. “Go outside of your comfort zone and surround yourself with success. Get after it and be successful.”
Copyright 2022 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
