When talking about his football career at Athens High School and the University of North Alabama, Harlow Fikes said that if you are going to tee it up, you might as well go ahead and win.
It is only fitting that Fikes would use this analogy when talking about his competitive spirit as he was outstanding kicker for both programs.
“I guess as soon as I could move around, I was playing sports,” he said. “As I got older and moved on to Athens High School, I developed a drive to be better than my opponent. My primary goal was to help my team win and be a good teammate.”
A good all-around athlete, Fikes lettered in basketball, football and golf for the Golden Eagles.
He was a member of the golf team during all four years of his high school career, recording a low score of 69 and twice qualifying for individual matches in the state golf tournament.
He played two years of varsity basketball for the Golden Eagles under 2012 Limestone County Sports Hall of Fame inductee Jerry Todd as well.
“Coach Todd became the basketball coach at Athens High School before my sophomore season,” he said. “He installed a motion offense that created a lot of movement and got players open shots. He was a good coach. He was intense and he expected his players to give maximum effort.”
Fikes played three seasons for the Golden Eagles football team.
A versatile athlete, he played receiver on offense and safety on defense.
But it was on special teams where Fikes stood out.
His kickoffs were rarely returned as he used his strong right leg to kick the football into the end zone.
His punting skills (he averaged 40 yards per punt in his high school career) often kept opposing teams pinned deep in their own territory.
Fikes helped lead the Golden Eagles to a 7-3 record his senior season.
An injury prior to that campaign best represented Fike’s competitive nature and his commitment to his teammates.
“It was the first day of two a day practices,” Fikes recalled. “I was playing free safety and I jumped to break up a pass. I got undercut, and when I fell, I broke my wrist. The doctor fitted me with a cast from my hand to shoulder. It was uncomfortable dropping the football to where it needed to be for me to punt effectively with a cast on. So, after a couple of weeks or so, I went out to my dad’s shop, took a saw and cut the cast off. I wasn’t cleared to play on offense or defense to about the seventh game of the season, but I was able to punt the football effectively without the cast on.”
College football programs recruited Fikes as a punter.
Multiple schools offered him a scholarship but he eventually chose UNA over Middle Tennessee State.
“The head football coach at UNA, Wayne Grubb, told me that I could play football and golf. He said I would play football in the fall and golf in the spring. It was a great decision for me. I was just an hour from home and had some great teammates during my four years at UNA. We won a lot of games and a lot of big games. We won the Gulf South Conference Championship twice during my career in football and finished second in the nation my senior season.”
Fikes set numerous school records during his career at UNA while earning All-Conference honors.
The UNA school records he set were most career punts (275), most career punting yards (10,925), highest career punting average (39.7 yards) and most career punts over 50 yards (29). Fikes’ booming punts caught the attention of professional football scouts. After graduating from UNA, he signed a two-year contract with the Birmingham Stallions of the United States Football League. Unfortunately, the USFL folded before Fikes was able to register his first punt for the Stallions.
Fikes said he is honored to be included in this year’s class of Limestone County High School Hall of Fame inductees.
“Honestly, I was quite surprised when I received the news,” Fikes said. “This honor means a lot and I am humbled to be included in this year’s class. I had a lot of great teammates along the way. My dad, my coaches and others served as great mentors in my athletic career.”