As a kid growing up in Athens, all Heidi Barnes wanted to do was to be outside playing and watching sports.

Whether it was playing basketball with her older cousins or catching fly balls from her mother, the 2024 Limestone County Sports Hall of Fame inductee said being outside involved with sports was her passion.

“I had older cousins who were good athletes and it was fun playing basketball with them,” she said. “My mother was a good softball player who played on an excellent local team. I really enjoyed watching her team play. Her and I would often get in the backyard and she would teach me how to catch fly balls.

“In fact, my first black-eye was from the time she threw me a fly ball and I lost it in the sun,” Barnes added with a laugh.

Her sports training complete, Barnes enrolled at Athens High School in the fall of 1996 and began a two-sport career that saw her become one of the most decorated athletes in school history.

In basketball, Barnes led the Golden Eagles to the state championship in 1999 while being named Most Valuable Player.

Athens recorded an impressive 93-23 record during Barnes’ four-year career and not many individual honors escaped the 5-10 forward.

She was twice named first-team All-State and was a Class 5A Player of the Year finalist her junior and senior seasons. Barnes was an All-Area selection three times and was named Limestone County Player of the Year twice. She finished her basketball career tied for most points (1,494) scored in school history and second in rebounds (814).

Her excellent play was not limited just to the hardwood.

Barnes was a four-year starter at shortstop in softball and led Athens to a state championship in 1999. She set numerous school records, including home runs (77), runs batted in (476), runs (428), doubles (57) and triples (66). Her softball career was highlighted by being named the Class 5A Player of the Year following her senior season.

Barnes says the relationships she developed during her four years at Athens is her favorite memory of her high school career.

“The championships and honors were nice, but to me, the relationships with my teammates, coaches and the community is what stands out to me during my time at Athens High School,” Barnes said. “All the hard work we did as a team, the bus rides, the community support we got in basketball and softball, those are the times you don’t forget. We were like a large extended family. I can remember when we played for the state championship in softball my senior season. We played the final game in the morning in Montgomery and we had graduation that evening in Athens. We got a police escort back so the seniors would make it back in time for graduation. We had to shower and get ready at the school, but we made it to graduation.”

Barnes’ basketball and softball coach at Athens was 2008 LCSHOF inductee Randy White, who says that Barnes was a joy to coach.

“A lot of times, your really good players don’t respond well to coaching, but Heidi was very coachable,” he said. “She was a hard worker who never took a day off at practice. She never practiced or played at half speed. Heidi was very unselfish. In fact, she was too unselfish at times and I had to get on to her about being more aggressive on the offensive end of the floor in basketball. She was the ultimate team player.”

Barnes says she is humbled to be inducted into the Limestone County Sports Hall of Fame.

“It is hard for me to wrap my head around this honor,” she said. “To look at some of the females that have been inducted and others who deserve to be inducted, I am grateful to be included in this year’s class. I am so thankful for my family, teammates and coaches who helped me along the way.”