Sophie, who plans to attend the University of Alabama next fall, said that connection and her deep roots in the community will bring her back home to Collinsville after she finishes college. It is impossible to imagine Collinsville without its sports, its school, its people, she added. “It makes me happy to see the kids get involved… because if they don’t get involved and play sports, the programs won’t stay alive,” Sophie said. I don't know how our school would have survived because there would be nobody here.”Īccording to Data USA, 60.6% of the population in Collinsville is Hispanic, which means 1,400 people in Collinsville are Latin American immigrants or their children.Ĭollinsville depends on the Hispanic population to maintain the very traditions of Collinsville. I can't even imagine who would go to our school if there were no Hispanics here. “And I really do think that it helped because we were a lot smaller. But the older we've gotten, more and more Hispanic immigrants have moved here, even in the surrounding towns, like Crossville and Fort Payne,” Sophie said. “When my parents went to Collinsville High School it was mainly white. In Sophie’s lifetime, that includes the changing population of the town as a nearby chicken processing plant brought waves of new faces over the years to their quiet town, newcomers who didn’t speak the language or the culture of small-town Alabama. The child of Cory and Chad Wills with siblings Lily and Bella Wills, Sophie comes from a long line of Collinsville natives and her family has been front row to the evolution of Collinsville over generations. I really didn’t care anything about volleyball or softball, but I do it for my school and my community.” We had the most support from any of the 2A schools, and that really is what made me enjoy sports as much as I did. Recalling the time her basketball team went to the State Championship her freshman year of high school, Sophie said, “We had over 300 to 400 people come and watch our finals game just from Collinsville. Adult soccer leagues and little league baseball pass the time, but nothing compares to the support of Collinsville’s high school sports. Though, as Sophie proudly claimed, Collinsville has more to do than some of the other towns in the area, she says sports are the foundation of most community life. I play softball, basketball, and volleyball, and I cheered for a little bit.” “If you’re from Collinsville, if you play one sport, you’re going to play every sport. “A lot of our town is sports oriented,” she explained. The traditions of Collinsville defined Sophie’s childhood from weekends with her friends eating corndogs at Trade Day, the largest flea market in Alabama, to eating greasy pizza from the gas station down the road on game days. Everybody knows who I am,” Sophie said with a smile, fondly recounting her experience living in a place where everyone knows everyone. Funds for this assistance come from the generous support of those who give to our Annual Campaign.Sophie Wills, a senior at Collinsville High School, has lived in the same small town her whole life, and she wouldn’t have had it any other way. Therefore, we offer financial assistance to those individuals who qualify. We feel strongly that anyone who wants to be a part of the Y has the opportunity, regardless of his or her ability to pay. Whenever a neighbor needs support, the Y is ready to help with open arms and caring hearts. *The YMCA will apply Before & After discounts after registration. In addition, before-school enrichment is offered at some sites. The Y Club program offers before- and after-school enrichment for grades K-6 on weekdays following the Collinsville Unit District 10 calendar. ![]() Inclusion and Adaptive Support Services.
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