Howard Bentley Buick GMC and Sand Mountain Park & Amphitheater launched Drive to Play on Sept. 1, 2026, cutting eligible youth recreation registration to $25 per child. The new program also keeps Miracle League registration completely free.
The change applies to eight sports: Spring Baseball, Spring Softball, Spring Tee Ball, Fall Tackle Football, Fall Flag Football, Fall Cheerleading, Fall Soccer and Winter Basketball. Any child who registers through Sand Mountain Park qualifies for the lower fee, with no residency requirement or special qualification attached.
Taylor Bentley Conner said the effort is rooted in a family legacy that has stretched across nearly 40 years in the community. “This initiative is about giving back. Plain and simple,” she said, adding that youth sports teach confidence, character, teamwork and lifelong friendships.
That message matches the way the partnership is being framed on both sides. Tanner Bozeman said Howard Bentley Buick GMC made a significant financial investment in Drive to Play, while the City of Albertville and Sand Mountain Park & Amphitheater are reinvesting concession proceeds directly into youth recreation. In practice, that means every registration, every hot dog and every drink purchased at the park helps support the next round of youth sports.
What the program does not yet spell out is how long the $25 registration fee will last or how much each partner is putting into the initiative. Even so, the structure is clear enough: the cost cut begins this season, the Miracle League stays free, and the money flowing through the park is being turned back into youth recreation instead of sitting on the sidelines.
