Cold Springs High School Alumnus

Words by Karen McCain | Images by Al Blanton

On April 26, 2026, Ella Dickerson was named the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s 2A Girls Player of the Year—a fitting honor for a four-time first-team all-state basketball player whose career was defined as much by resilience and leadership as by talent.

“I couldn’t have accomplished this without my family, teammates, coaches, and the Cold Springs community,” Ella says.

Ella did not always see herself as an athlete. More interested in pageants and dance, she joined a basketball team in fourth grade because her friends did. Her father, Eric, helped her learn the game, and her brother, Cash, later helped her train and develop her skills. Her mother, Adrian, was a constant source of encouragement, cheering her on from the stands. With her family behind her, Ella soon fell in love with the sport that would become such an important part of her life.

Her basketball career was not without challenges. Ella tore her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in eighth grade and her right ACL in tenth grade. The injury is common among basketball players because of the strain that constant directional shifts place on the knee.

“The rehab and recovery after each surgery lasted nine months and was very intense,” she says.

Throughout both recoveries, Ella’s family supported her through every therapy session, continued working with her during therapy at home, and helped her train as she fought to return to the court. She also credited the Cold Springs High School coaches and community with helping rekindle her passion for sports and carrying her through some of the darkest periods of her recovery.

After her second ACL injury, Ella struggled to believe it had happened again, but she never considered quitting.

“Giving up was never an option,” she says. “But it was extremely tough to come back from this type of injury twice.”

After overcoming those injuries, Ella became team captain during both her junior and senior seasons. What some might see as a weakness, she viewed as a strength: She held herself to a high standard.

“I am hard on myself,” she says. “I always wanted to give my best, whether it was in the classroom or on the court. Everyone deserves my best.”

Ella also excelled in track and field. She joined the team in seventh grade and later became a captain there as well.

“Basketball is a sentimental favorite, but track is important to me too,” she says.

She won the individual state high jump title in both 11th and 12th grade and was part of Cold Springs’ 2A state championship teams in ninth, 11th and 12th grade.

Beyond athletics, Ella served as president of the Class of 2026. In her graduation speech, she reflected on what Cold Springs had meant to her:

“Cold Springs has been more than just a school—it has been home. For as long as I can remember, I have been part of something bigger than myself, whether it was a team, a club, or simply a classroom full of my best friends. Although every day was not easy, every day meant something. Every day was a chance to learn, to grow, to laugh, and to become who I am now.”

Although Ella will no longer spend hours practicing in the gym, she is not leaving sports behind. She plans to attend the University of Alabama, where she will double major in marketing and sport management—no doubt bringing the same drive and commitment that defined her athletic career into the next chapter of her life. 78