“Why not?”
Why not be selected for the 5A First Team All-Region and Second Team All-County in football? Why not put in the work both on and off the court? Why not put your faith fully in Christ?
For Brodey Garrett, a Jasper High School football, basketball and track athlete, that question guides his decisions and dreams.
The 6-foot-1 junior first heard the phrase “Why not?” from his favorite athlete, Russell Westbrook. Taking the NBA point guard’s challenge to heart, Garrett decided to always give his best in sports and life.
“His saying was always, ‘Why not?’” Brodey says. “So, it helped me have no reason not to try.”
Brodey has put his yes on the table, tried new activities, and found success across multiple sports. On the football field, he plays wide receiver and defensive back. When he trades cleats for basketball shoes, he looks for mid-range to long buckets as a shooting guard. In track and field, he switches to jump spikes and takes flight in the high jump.
The “Track Meet MVP” says his favorite part of being an athlete is the lessons learned through sports and the personal impact players have on one another. He especially enjoys the relationships formed through athletics.
One person has played a pivotal role in shaping Brodey’s success: his father, P.A. Garrett. A regular in the stands, P.A. supported Brodey at games and followed up afterward with what he liked to call “constructive feedback.”
“I didn’t appreciate the feedback,” Brodey admits. “But looking back on it, it really helped—no matter how much I wanted to hear it at the moment or not.”
Between juggling sports practices and maintaining a 4.3 GPA, the multi-sport athlete also prioritizes his faith. He attends weekly Bible study at Jasper First Baptist and makes time for church events. On weekends, Brodey and his friends hit the field, running routes and drills before wrapping up with a pickup game of football.
Brodey sees two possible paths for his future: following in his father’s footsteps to work as an engineer at Alabama Power or becoming a youth pastor.
“I really like being around kids and being able to invest in them,” he says. “To me, being a youth pastor seems like the perfect way to do that.”
Through every class, every game and every goal, Brodey encourages others to put their faith in God. TG
A special thanks to the City of Jasper for sponsoring this Featured Athlete segment!
Photos by Al Blanton
