Kurt Senn
Class of 2018
When Kurt Senn was honored as the first soccer player inducted into the Huntsville-Madison County Athletic Hall of Fame in 2018, it marked not just individual recognition, but a celebration of an entire era—one where soccer began to take root in Alabama, and Senn helped lay its foundation.
A 1984 graduate of Grissom High School, Senn was a rare four-sport athlete: excelling in soccer, basketball, baseball, and football. He earned All-City honors in soccer, basketball, and football his senior year and was named Huntsville’s “Athlete of the Year” in 1984, becoming the first soccer player to ever receive that title. On the soccer field, he was a dynamic midfielder who helped lead Grissom in the early days of the sport’s rise in the state, playing under pioneering coaches like Dr. Allen Gary, Terry Graff, and Phil Holladay.
His athletic schedule was almost superhuman. On one unforgettable Friday, he practiced soccer, went to preseason basketball workouts, then punted in a football game that same evening. In another instance, he played a full soccer match in Birmingham, then raced to Decatur in time to kick off a football game.
Raised in a military family that traveled the world before settling in Huntsville, Senn first learned to love soccer while living in Amman, Jordan, playing with local children. That global exposure made a lasting impression, and when he arrived in Alabama, he brought that passion with him.
Senn wasn’t just a star on the field—he was a top student, earning admission to Birmingham-Southern College with the prestigious McWane Award, a full academic scholarship. He played four years of collegiate soccer under Coach Preston Goldfarb and later earned a medical degree with honors from UAB. Today, he serves as an anesthesiologist at Shelby County Hospital.
Throughout his journey, Senn credits his parents, Bob and Nina, for providing the support and spiritual foundation that carried him through life’s many challenges. “They never missed a game,” he said. “Their encouragement made all the difference.”
Kurt Senn’s induction into the Hall of Fame is not only a testament to his athletic versatility but a nod to his role in elevating soccer’s place in Alabama sports history.
This content has been generated by an artificial intelligence language model, based on original stories written the year of the honoree's induction by Board members and other contributors. While we strive for accuracy and quality, please note that the information provided may not be entirely error-free or up-to-date. Please contact the Hall of Fame with corrections.
