Asbury, AL — Community tensions off the court are starting to show up in the Rams’ results.
Parents and fans say coaching turnover, online fights, and heated stands have turned games into battlegrounds, and they point to the players as the ones paying the price.
A longtime supporter and parent, Angie Martin laid it out plainly on Facebook: “Its sad that the Asbury High School Basketball Team is suffering because of all this politic bull crap.”
That line set the tone for a post that struck a nerve across the community. “All the kids want to do is play,” she added, underlining the simple point at the heart of the complaint.
“Now, because of everything that is going on, they are suffering,” she wrote, and the numbers back that up.
Asbury has won just four of its last 10 games and only one of its last five, the lone recent victory coming against Brindlee Mountain.
On January 9, the Rams fell to the Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering, a loss that exposed how thin their margin for error has become.
A recurring theme in her post: “They can’t keep a coach.” Multiple leadership changes this season have forced players to adapt on the fly, replacing systems and expectations before they have time to take hold.
Asbury Rams face inconsistency as off-court battles overshadow their season
Coaches and parents say that churn makes it harder for a young roster to build rhythm and trust, and that inconsistency is showing on game nights.
“Im sorry but all this back in forth crap is awful,” she wrote, describing the atmosphere parents have described at recent games.
Instead of simply watching their children play, many say they leave contests having listened to side arguments and online spats.
“What happened to going to a game to watch your kids play?” she asked, a question echoed by others who want the focus returned to student athletes.
“Now you go to a game and have to listen to people in the stands bickering back and forth about who is wrong and who is right,” the post continued, and that bickering changes the atmosphere.
When fans use games to air grievances, the crowd stops being a support system and becomes another source of pressure for teenagers already juggling school, travel and practice.
“The only ones that are suffering are the kids,” she said bluntly. Parents point to missed assignments, sloppy execution in close moments, and the emotional toll on players as signs that off-court drama is bleeding into performance.
“Between the bullying and accusations it is getting old,” she added, calling attention to online posts and accusations that some families say have crossed a line.
Her post also carried a personal note: “I have always loved Asbury School but what has happened to it. My kids graduated from there and my grandsons are there now and its a shame what is going on.”
That generational stake adds weight to the plea: alumni and grandparents who remember different days are asking for the community to return to basics.
The final ask was simple and direct: “LET THE KIDS PLAY WITHOUT ALL THIS BICKERIN.”
That sentiment drew quick support, Brittany Mayo replied, “I couldn’t have said it better myself.”
It became a refrain among those calling for calmer stands, clearer channels for complaints, and firmer support for players.
Practical solutions on the table include asking fans to keep complaints out of the stands, routing personnel concerns through school officials, and having boosters and parent groups model better behavior.
Parents also want the district to make expectations clear and to treat serious incidents of bullying or harassment with documented investigations and support for affected students.
Asbury gets a short chance to reset: Asbury face Whitesburg Christian Academy on Thursday and Geraldine on Friday.
Those matchups are more than scheduled games; they’re opportunities for the team to focus and for the community to show whether it will make the shift from public fights to constructive action.
Players can be coached on fundamentals and schemes, but adults set the tone.
If the community heeds Angie Martin’s plea and removes the noise from the stands and feeds, Asbury will at least give the kids the environment they need to improve.
If not, the combination of inconsistency, turnover, and public drama will keep making wins harder to come by.
