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Alabama football to adopt HeatSense, cutting edge heat safety technology

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Alabama football to adopt HeatSense, cutting edge heat safety technology


Melissa Fortenberry saw a problem and sought a solution, a solution Alabama football is buying into. 

Fortenberry invented HeatSense, a fitness tracker that measures athletes’ individual core body temperature with the “goal of proactively managing heat strain.” In August, Alabama will be Heat Sense’s first customer. 

“They are all in,” Fortenberry told The Tuscaloosa News. “They very much want their player health to be at the top of the list.” 

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With a background in technology, Fortenberry came up with the idea of HeatSense as a fan, watching her three kids play youth sports in from the stands. She became sick, feeling dizzy and nauseous and coming to the conclusion that the pads and turf were hotter for athletes on the field. 

Fortenberry conducted her own research and saw more reactive solutions than proactive. 

“You can see heat strain forming in people and proactively cool them or keep pushing, where today, you’re flying blind,” Fortenberry said. 

Jeff Allen, senior associate athletic director for health and performance and Alabama football’s head athletic trainer, has already been on the forefront of innovation for player safety, introducing the injury tent in 2015 to allow training staff and medical personnel to examine athletes privately on the sideline during games. 

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When Carson Tinker, a former Alabama and NFL long snapper and Fortenberry’s neighbor, heard about her idea, Allen was the first person Tinker thought of.

“Jeff was like, ‘Man, this sounds super interesting. Keep me in the loop with this,’” Tinker said. “It’s something he felt he knew that he could use. That was over a year ago now. … Now it’s all kind of come together. It’s crazy how it all kind of works out.”

“Once we got Jeff’s attention, he was really intrigued,” Fortenberry said, adding Allen “wants to be on the forefront of making the game better.” 

Members of the HeatSense team attended an Alabama practice during its fourth-quarter program in March and put sensors on 10 players. 

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“I think the feedback they heard from players was validated in what we saw,” Fortenberry said. 

Tinker views this not only as a safety tool, but an advantage overall to find a player’s peak body temperature.

“You want to be able to use the heat to your advantage. You want to be able to play your best in all conditions, but nobody knows until it’s too late and you got to get through in the cold tub because you overheated.”

Alabama is just the start for HeatSense, which has the goal of reaching three to five Division I programs this summer. 

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According to Weather Spark, the average temperature in Tuscaloosa eclipses 90 degrees during Alabama’s fall camp. Fortenberry now has a way for the Crimson Tide to respond. 

“People, I think, are afraid of the heat, but you don’t know you can do something about it,” she said. “Now you can.” 

Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter or Instagram @colingaytnews





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Alabama

The positions Alabama football will continue to recruit in the 2027 recruiting class

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The positions Alabama football will continue to recruit in the 2027 recruiting class




Alabama football’s 2027 recruiting class holds commitments from 13 2027 recruits with summer official visits behind them.

The Crimson Tide holds commitments from two quarterbacks, two running backs, two tight ends, one wide receiver, one offensive lineman, two edges, one defensive lineman, one defensive back and a kicker.

With the Tide expected to add a few more players to this class, here is a look at three positions Alabama will likely continue to recruit 2027 prospects at:

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Wide Receiver

Osani Gayles is currently the only wide receiver verbally committed to the Crimson Tide. Alabama would love to grab a commitment from Monshun Sales later this month, but the Tide is not considered to be the favorite to land the five-star less than a week out from his Friday decision. Alabama recently offered Jalijah Rutledge out of Moody High School. Rutledge is a 2027 wide receiver, and he is committed to App State. Before Rutledge announced his offer, Alabama made a strong push for Cedrick Simmons, who eventually committed to Auburn. The Tide wants to add at least one more wideout to this class to pair with Gayles.

Linebacker

Alabama does not have an inside linebacker commit, but the Tide did make a significant push for several off-the-ball linebackers before they committed to other programs. It would not be a surprise if Alabama makes a push for an inside linebacker committed elsewhere or offers a prospect who puts some good film together and flashes potential to start their senior season. Alabama’s push for a prospect at this position in the 2027 class could be very fluid moving forward.

Safety

Alabama also does not hold a commitment from a safety prospect. The Tide’s only defensive back commit is Darrius White, and he is projected to play cornerback at the next level. The Tide did not go after a long list of safeties in this class, but it did show a lot of interest in Junior Tu’upo out of Thompson High School in Alabama. A continued push for Tu’upo is likely, along with the possibility of the Tide evaluating a safety prospect who impresses them to kick off their senior season.


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Cullman’s Alabama Strawberry Festival adds another statewide award

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Cullman’s Alabama Strawberry Festival adds another statewide award


The Alabama Strawberry Festival has been named Alabama’s Best Music Festival in Alabama Magazine’s 2026 Best of Bama Awards, the latest statewide recognition for one of Cullman’s signature events.

The Best of Bama Awards celebrate top attractions, events, restaurants and destinations across the state.

Held each April in downtown Cullman, the festival has grown into one of Alabama’s premier destination events, combining nationally known entertainment with local agriculture, family attractions, artisan vendors and food.

“This recognition belongs to our entire community,” said Nathan Anderson, executive director of Cullman Parks, Recreation & Sports Tourism, in a statement. He said the festival has become far more than a weekend event, calling it an economic driver, a tourism asset and a source of community pride. Anderson noted the festival drew nearly 70,000 guests from 35 states this year, which he said shows people are coming to experience Cullman itself, not just a concert.

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Cullman Mayor Woody Jacobs said the recognition reflects years of deliberate investment in building experiences that support the community while drawing outside visitors, calling the festival one of the signature events not just for Cullman, but for the entire state.

Harmony Heard, executive director of Cullman Area Tourism, said the festival continues to strengthen Cullman’s reputation as one of Alabama’s top travel destinations, noting that tens of thousands of out-of-state visitors translate into impact across local hotels, restaurants, retail shops and attractions.

Festival Manager Daniel Wyatt credited the recognition to the work put in year-round by the team behind the event, from booking entertainment to improving the guest experience and coordinating vendors.

The award adds to a strong year for Cullman’s event calendar. Cullman Christkindlmarkt was named the Alabama Tourism Department’s 2026 Event of the Year earlier this summer, meaning two of the city’s flagship festivals have now received statewide recognition in 2026.

The next Alabama Strawberry Festival is set for late April 2027 at Depot Park in historic downtown Cullman.

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Courtesy of 256 Today



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Alabama has Talent returns with local connection

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Alabama has Talent returns with local connection


Alabama has Talent will return Aug. 1 to the Mount Vernon Performing Arts Center in Tallassee, where organizers hope to once again showcase performers from across the state while bringing communities together through the arts.

“There’s so much talent out there and a lot of it just needs an opportunity to be discovered,” organizer Veronica Harris said. “In a world where we seem more and more disconnected, doing things that promote community is a way for us to come together and connect.”

The second annual competition includes separate divisions for children under 16 and adults, with grand prizes of $500 and $1,000. Entry is free for contestants and family-friendly acts of all kinds are welcome. Registration remains open through July 20.

Among those helping spread the word locally is Greenville artist and Muse Alabama Executive Director Jill Marlar. After attending last year’s inaugural competition, Marlar contacted Harris and has since encouraged several of her own students to participate in this year’s youth division.

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“It was top-notch talent and all different ages,” Marlar said. “To sit there in a place I grew up, in a full theater, and see that just really gave me chills.” She said meeting Harris and seeing the event firsthand inspired her to become involved and introduce her students to the competition.



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