By CONNIE NOLEN / Community Columnist

Dabo Swinney’s Clemson Tigers are making waves in Pelham. My husband is a serious Alabama fan. He watches football in a three-point stance.

I cheer for Pelham Panthers. If students played at Pelham, I support the college teams they’re affiliated with for as long as our former Pelham Panthers populate those teams.

Once we knew that the University of Alabama and Clemson would play for the National Collegiate Championship, I shot my husband a questioning glance. “You’ve known Dabo Swinney since he was 17. You watched him play basketball at the high school soon after we met. You know I’ve known him since he was a toddler.”

“I know you’re proud of Dabo,” my husband said, “but he’s playing Bama!”

He insisted that family Alabama alums, our eldest daughter and her husband, state their intentions.

“We say Roll Dabo Roll,” my daughter responded. “I can’t cheer against Dabo when I know how far he has come and how hard he has worked. How crazy is it that both teams have had such great seasons in the same year!”

The city of Pelham holds a secret that propels its kids. We’re a city of adults that truly puts kids first. Pelham kids have a great library, top-notch athletic facilities and the entire community has a strong commitment to the arts. Coming to a pep rally, a theatre performance or Write Night at the high school and witnessing the sheer volume of adults cheering on Pelham kids inspiring throngs of supporters. Pelham kids believe they’ll succeed because of the adults behind them.

On game night, my daughter and son-in-law will say, “Roll Dabo Roll,” my husband will probably say a lot less than he usually does, and my battle cry will be, “Show them what Pelham kids do Dabo. Show the whole country what Pelham kids do.”

Dabo will work unbelievably hard, he will count his blessings, he will infect others with his enthusiasm and energy as he continues to be a young man from Pelham who believes that all things are possible!