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Adam Sledge is Mr. Cavalier. The 2013 Callaway graduate and current custodial employee at the school has worked behind closed doors for the athletic department with little recognition for years.

Sledge is the scoreboard operator for soccer, the school mascot, the janitor for the athletic facilities and so much more. 

“I’ve been running the scoreboard for the soccer team for about 10 years now. And now, the basketball team is recruiting me to be a substitute scoreboard keeper,” Sledge said. “I’ve been working out there at the athletic facility for Callaway for nine years. 

“It’s been crazy because I’ve had so much to do, not just on the hallway, but in the athletic facilities too and now this is my first year being the mascot too.”

Sledge is Callaway to the bone. He has been bleeding red and black since he was a student over a decade ago. The Cavaliers hold a special place in Sledge’s heart as he has truly grown leaps and bounds during his nearly 15 years at Callaway High.

“We always say to be courteous, be capable, be cooperative and always be Callaway,” Sledge said. “You got some colleges and universities, and it makes you feel like home, it makes you feel like you’re part of a family. That’s what Callaway really is. It is all about us trying to make everyone feel like they’re a part of a big Cavalier family.”

He works tirelessly to help the athletic department in any way he can. During soccer season for instance, he arrives at the school at 7 a.m. for his custodial work and might not get off until 9 p.m. or later as he has helped run the scoreboard for the soccer team for the better part of a decade. 

Adding new roles with the athletic department is nothing new for Sledge. This is his first year as the team’s mascot, and he will be serving as the backup scoreboard operator for basketball. A self-described basketball junkie, Sledge is relishing the chance to help out with the season at Callaway and hopes that it will lead to a bigger role with the basketball program going into the future.

When he is not working his tail off for the Troup County School System and Callaway High, Sledge is often found enjoying himself with his church basketball league, where he has played, refereed and coached. He also used to play with the Special Olympics as he always found a way to be around athletics in some form or fashion and that has carried over into adulthood.

“I played for Special Olympics. I did volleyball, softball, basketball, and through Special Olympics, and when I was in elementary school and got up to sixth grade, I did church league basketball, which was called Upward basketball at the time,” Sledge said. 

He also serves as the Callaway coach for the Special Night-Building Community event which features special needs members from around the Troup County School System coming together for a night of fun.

Sledge has always surrounded himself with athletics. He was the manager of the baseball team during his time as a student.

“All four years, my freshman to senior year. And the coach when I graduated he told everybody he said, Adam was supposed to be a manager where he brought all the equipment to the dugout and got it ready, but it’s like I was more the sport medicine person. If a player got upset or a coach got upset, I would sit down and talk to him and just try to keep him calm.”

Sledge has slowly been filling the Tray Tucker role for Callaway. Tucker, a man who helped the Callaway athletic department tremendously by doing all the little things, passed away last year and was a tremendous inspiration for Sledge. 

“I can say that as of today I still miss that man,” Sledge said. “I mean, gosh, he always made sure everything at Callaway was straight.”

Growing up around sports, Sledge always had one goal: to work with Auburn University. A life-long Tigers fan, Sledge hopes that one day he can be a part of the Tigers athletic department, whether that is running the scoreboard or some other role.

“I’ve always had a dream of wanting to go work with the athletic department at Auburn University,” Sledge said. “I’m a humongous Auburn fan.”