by Brenda Sutherlin
Norman Russell (Russ) Sandlin is from Decatur, Alabama , and is a former baseball player for the Calhoun College Warhawks. He played at Calhoun from 2009-2011.
His love for the sport started early in life. His grandfather was drafted by a minor league for the Philadelphia Phillies.
Sandlin played Dixie Youth Baseball from the year of 1995-1998. He continued with the league and played for the Dixie Boys All-Star from 1998-2002 and the Dixie Boys from 2003-2004. During those years his team placed All-Stars Runner Up in the World Series in 2003 and in 2004, they placed fifth in the World Series.
Upon entering high school, Sandlin played on the Austin High School Freshman Baseball Team and the Austin High School Varsity Baseball Team from Decatur, AL in 2005 and 2006-2009 respectively.
After high school, Sandlin enrolled at Calhoun Community College and wore jersey # 44 because it was Hank Aaron’s number. He said, “I have worn it throughout my baseball career.” Sandlin said he pitched some but mostly played first base.
When Sandlin was asked how baseball prepared him for the next level in the sports he said, “baseball has always been my passion because it teaches you so much more than athletics.” He also said that baseball teaches you about the game of life, the highs, and lows and how to cope with each.
Sandlin said that while at Calhoun his coaches emphasized the importance of balancing academics and athletics. He said, “it definitely prepared him to play baseball at the next level.”
After Sandlin left Calhoun Community College, he enrolled in Huntington College located in Montgomery, Alabama. While at Huntingdon College he was a member of the baseball team from 2011-2013. He was also a pitching coach for the team from 2014-2017.
Calhoun Community College has restored its sports program. Sandlin said, “sport returning to Calhoun gives the players in the area an opportunity to do something they love while pursuing a degree. He said, “this is an opportunity to possibly advance to the next level in the sport.”
Sandlin was asked what advice he had for students that are considering baseball at Calhoun. He said, “my advice for any athlete to play a sport is to take the opportunity, not only athletically but also academically to help prepare you to be successful in all walks of life.”
After graduating from Huntington College his passion for baseball has not waned. Besides having a family and a full-time job at Direct Scaffold in Birmingham, Alabama he coached Little League Baseball in 2018 and two travel teams from 2021 to 2022. He is married to Shay Roberson Sandlin, and they live in Chelsea, Alabama. They have a dog named, Wells.