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Florala High School senior Sharae Coleman set sights on the next basketball chapter after she signed with Coastal Alabama Community College on Thursday, April 14.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to continue my basketball career in college because it has always been a dream of mine. Ever since I was little, I dreamed of playing college ball, and now my dream is a reality. I am looking forward to exploring the campus and the many people I will meet. I chose to play at CACC because I enjoyed the campus, the coaching staff, and the people. To have the opportunity to continue my career means the world to me. I never thought I’d accomplish this, and the fact that I did is remarkable,” Coleman said.

She was a point guard at Florala and played in all 31 of her team’s games as a senior. Coleman averaged 22.1 points per game, 11.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 4.5 steals, and 0.4 blocks this season. She eclipsed the 30-point mark nine times in 2021-2022 and had a season-high 35 points in the 1A Area 2 championship against Pleasant Home.

“Sharae brought quite a bit of contributions in the last four years. She scored a lot and was the do-it-all person with her energy and enthusiasm. She was a great scorer, but more importantly, she was also a leader who took the younger girls under her wings. She gave them a chance and believed in them throughout her years. She is a great kid who is very humble and is graduating as the salutatorian of her senior class. She does a really good job both on and off the court with her leadership. Sharae will be missed, but I’m excited for her to continue her basketball career at the next level,” Head Coach David Bass said.

As she prepares to join the Sun Chiefs in Bay Minette, she was grateful for her time as a member of the Lady Wildcats. “I will miss the people of Florala the most. They have always been helpful and supportive. I learned a lot from the coaching staff. Not only did they encourage and teach me on the court, but they also informed me about the outside life in the real world. I am grateful for that. The biggest highlight of my basketball career is when I received my first scholarship. It motivated me to do more and better.”

Coleman began playing basketball in the fifth grade during rec league and showed appreciation for her loved ones the entire time.

“It drew my attention because it made me feel more like myself. Even at a young age, I just knew basketball was for me. The support of my family and friends encouraged me to push my hardest. Even if I was in a bad mood, to know I had people behind me encouraged me to keep fighting,” she said.

She named her dad the biggest influence of her life. “He has pushed me even to the limits I believed I couldn’t have achieved. He has been with me through the ups and downs, and I will forever be grateful for him. Basketball has changed my life. I am very thankful for those who have supported me.”

She is the daughter of Author and Sharika Coleman and has three siblings: Diamond Carswell, Janiya Goldsmith, and Javon Coleman. Coleman will graduate from Florala High School on Friday, May 27, 2022.

“We’re very excited to have Sharae and met her when she came down to visit our campus and see her workout. We’re ecstatic about having her, and she is a strong kid who played multiple sports. She is also a great student, and we pride ourselves on graduating 100 percent of our students. Education is definitely first, but she brought spirit to the workout and adhered to what we asked her to do. It was a no-brainer for us to offer her on the spot,” said CACC Head Coach Cedric Yelding.