Carter Carroll wasn’t just another student at Saint James School in Montgomery. He stood out.

His coaches described the two-sport standout as a Christ-centered role model with an infectious smile.

“You couldn’t help but smile back at him,” Trojans baseball coach Keith Lucky said. “That was the kind of young man he was. It was always, ‘yes sir, no sir.’ Words can’t describe adequately just how special he was as a person.”

Carroll died tragically on Jan. 20 in a hunting accident. His coaches and school officials were able to speak publicly about the senior Friday for the first time since his death. Lucky said it was the first time in his 26 years at the school that a current student died.

The two weeks since his death have been tough on everyone associated with Saint James.

“Saint James is such a close-knit community,” head football coach Neal Posey said. “It’s affected everyone. The senior class are like brothers. There are at least 10 kids who play at least two sports. It’s definitely been a time for us all to lean on each other and try to live like Carter and enjoy the day like he would. He wouldn’t want us to be sad. He would want us to be talking about the good times we had with him.”

Carroll’s death has been especially tough on Lucky and the baseball team, which starts the season Feb. 15. Carroll was the team’s starting shortstop and top pitcher. He planned to play college baseball at Chattahoochee Valley.

“I’ve told people a million times how hard I took his loss,” Lucky said. “It’s been gut-wrenching honestly. I’ve cried. I’ve been mad so it’s hard to imagine how hard it affected the kids. They all grew up with him and played with him. It’s something they have to consider – we all do – every time we take the field.

“Carter Carroll was everything for this team. He can’t be replaced. His leadership and just the type of teammate was – those things were invaluable to us.”

Lucky remembers a specific conversation with Carroll a year ago that personified his role on the team.

“Last year, he came to me at one point,” Lucky said. “He saw a need for us to solidify our defense a bit, so he asked to be moved to third base. That is the kind of kid he was. Everything was about the team. He wasn’t selfish at all in anyway.”

Lucky met with his team two days after Carroll’s death. In some ways, he wasn’t sure how to approach the situation or what to do next.

“We met that Monday,” he said. “I told the guys, ‘We can sit around. We can talk about Carter. We can cry. We don’t have to go on the field at all today. What would Carter want us to do?’ They got their equipment on and were on the field in five minutes. It helps them to do what they know Carter loved to do and to play for him.”

Carroll played football in ninth grade but decided to concentrate on baseball in his sophomore and junior seasons. Prior to the 2023 season, however, Posey heard some talk that Carroll might want to come back out and play football.

“So, I asked him,” Posey said. “He said, ‘Coach, if you will allow me to play, I’d love to.’ I said, ‘Of course, I will. What number would you like?’ From Day 1, the kids loved him. Everyone loved him. At Saint James or any school we played, everyone loved him. He was a good person and a follower of Christ, and everyone knew that because of how he carried himself.”

Carroll played wide receiver and defensive back for the Trojans and helped the team to the Class 3A state semifinals.

“He was an integral part of the team, and I’m very thankful he decided to play because of who he was and what he brought to the table,” Posey said. “He definitely made our team better.”

Lucky said the baseball team will wear a No. 2 patch on their hats for Carroll this season among other tributes to their star. The Trojans are participating in some umpire scrimmages this weekend before hosting Beauregard to officially open the season on Feb. 15.

“I try to focus on how Carter treated others,” Lucky said. “That’s how I try to make it through, thinking about the role model he was, how he loved his family and life. That is what has kind of pulled me through. Different people handle tragedies in different ways. I just remember all good about him and that helps me get through.”