To many in our state, basketball season in Alabama starts after football season completely comes to a close. Even then, if any big football news takes place —a prized recruit committing or a coach talking smack in the offseason — it overshadows anything done in hoops.

More than likely, for a certain portion of our state’s population, it will always be that way, but things look like they may be starting to change.

Auburn men’s basketball Bruce Pearl has always impressed me with his confidence. When he took the Tennessee job, a place like Alabama where basketball is often in the background, he didn’t just want to win. He expected to win and win he did. He made the NCAA Tournament every year he was in Knoxville.

Pearl spoke at the Selma Quarterback Club Monday night, and he showed the same moxie and fight that allowed him to have success at Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Tennessee.

He answered every question pointedly and had no problem discussing the show-cause penalty the NCAA enforced upon him years ago that has now passed. Pearl knows how to work a crowd, and he delivered with some of his best jokes Monday.

The Carl C. Morgan Convention Center was packed with guests as the club wrapped up a season that saw Alabama Athletic Director Bill Battle, Alabama State football coach Reggie Barlow and Mr. College Football Tony Barnhart speak.

The QB Club is the second oldest club of its kind in the state and although it has remained popular, it appeared to have a sort of revival this year. With Pearl at the microphone, Monday appeared to be the largest crowd of this year’s 11-man speaker lineup.

The QB Club’s main purpose is to award four scholarships to local students each year in the amount of $4,000 each and it does a great job of that.

Pearl ended his speech Monday with a plea of sorts, asking those in the audience to make the trip to Auburn and to give the Tigers’ a chance this year. It was clear that he knows how important a strong fanbase and loud home crowd is for Auburn.

I think the same argument could be made for the QB Club, which despite strong membership numbers could always use more community support and involvement. The club promotes camaraderie and continues to bring in relevant speakers again and again.

There are plenty of other clubs, such as the Rotary Club and Dallas-Wilcox Bama Club, that also award scholarships each year.

It’s important that we continue to support these clubs, which recognize the importance of educating our youth and helping them strive for the future.

As a community, let’s keep finding a way to give back to our local clubs.