For fans of football, college or professional, the center of their sports world was in Lower Alabama over the past few weeks.

Every year, the Reese’s Senior Bowl brings players, scouts and coaches to Mobile and Baldwin Counties.

The players come to the Senior Bowl to prove to the NFL scouts and head coaches that they are ready for the big leagues.

The coaches and scouts come to evaluate the player they are considering adding to their rosters. There are practices, one-on-one interviews and of course, the game.

With all the big names in town for the Senior Bowl and its practices, it’s no surprise there were also several hundred fans at the South team’s practice last week in Fairhope.

While I was working the event for our papers, getting photos of the day’s activities, it was hard to not be impressed by the laundry list of players and coaches on hand.

Ask my wife, sisters or parents, and they’ll all tell you I don’t get star struck often.

Then ask my wife how I handled meeting Bengals coach Marvin Lewis and bumping into other NFL and college coaches, and you’ll learn that it can happen.

Even more than a fan of the Michigan Wolverines or Cincinnati Bengals, I’m a fan of the game.

So, it was incredible to see so much talent, in players, scouts and coaches on the field at Fairhope High School last Tuesday.

Seeing the full bleachers and lines for autographs after the event, it was clear that I wasn’t the only one impressed by the event.

Diehard football fans watched as some of the biggest names in the sport — Nick Saban, Rex Ryan and Mike Tomlin among them — paced the sidelines during the practice.

Hundreds of fans stood in line after the practice to get autographs from former Alabama and Auburn players.

Being new to the area, I’m sure so many others before have said it, but everyone who helps organize the game, practices and corresponding events, deserves our biggest thanks.

Sure there is an economic impact, but more than that, it puts our area in the spotlight and gives local football fans a chance to see the biggest named coaches of today and the big stars of tomorrow.

The practice in Fairhope served as a good sendoff for the football season for area fans. I know I’m not alone in counting down the days until the Senior Bowl finds it’s way back to Lower Alabama.

Jay Sowers is photo editor of Gulf Coast Newspapers. He can be reached at jay@gulfcoastmedia.com.