Kiger remembered for legacy on, off field

James Kiger lived his dreams, on and off of the football field.

State troopers said in a press release Kiger was killed June 26 when the 2005 Ford pickup he was driving struck a guardrail and overturned off of the roadway on Dale County 36 at 1:15 a.m., but the legacy he left lives on.

"My memories of James (are) a big smile, a big guy, always happy (and) a tremendous competitor," former Daleville football coach Perry Swindall said. "(He) loved his family, loved his mom and dad, loved his wife and his kids. The talks we had over the last 10 years, I could just tell he had developed into a really good man. That's what made me the most proud."

Kiger was an offensive lineman for Swindall at Daleville during the highest point in Warhawk football history.

He was a three-year starter at DHS, and helped lead the Warhawks to a 15-0 state championship season in 1992 when he was a senior.

"James did what he was supposed to do," Swindall said. "He did it full speed. He was always there (and) he was always encouraging people. He had high expectations for himself, and because of that he had high expectations for everybody around him. That tends to pull people along."

The leadership, encouragement and example Kiger provided to his teammates helped the team take home the title.

"He was the leader on the team," Daleville City Schools superintendent Andy Kelley, who served as an assistant coach on the DHS championship team, said. "He always encouraged everybody to go that extra mile, and give their all. That's why we were state champions that year, in large part because of James Kiger. He was one of the finest athletes and the finest young men I ever had the opportunity to coach. My prayers and my thoughts go out to his family. It's just a sad day."

Before the title run, Swindall said Kiger's presence on the team helped turn the Daleville program around.

"He was a major part of that whole program rebuilding," Swindall said. "He played for me from the very beginning. He was a guy (who) started three years for us, as a sophomore, junior and senior. James was a major part of the program. Without James Kiger and other guys like him, that team could have never won a state championship."

Kiger earned honorable mention all state honors from The Birmingham News and the Alabama Sports Writers Association as a junior. He garnered first-team all-state recognition from both sources as a senior, and was also selected to the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game.

After high school, Swindall said Kiger was heavily recruited.

"He was a great player," he said. "He had offers from everybody in the SEC. He chose to go to Auburn because he told me one day, 'Coach, that's where I've always wanted to go.' I said, 'Man, go live your dream.'"

Kiger did play at Auburn where he lettered in 1995 and 1996. The Tigers went undefeated in 1993, while Kiger was on the Plains.

"How very sad," former Auburn football coach Terry Bowden told 247 sports. "He was a good person. I've already lost so many players from my first (Auburn) team in 1993."

After college Kiger was the longtime operator of Larry's BBQ in Ozark, and Swindall said he served as a volunteer coach at G.W. Long.

"He lived the dream, played where he wanted to play and went to college where he wanted to go," Swindall said. "The fact he developed into a good person, a good young man, a good businessman and somebody (who) cared about other people — that was probably the thing that sets James apart from a lot of people."

Off of the field, Kiger's outgoing personality was evident when he was still a student at Daleville.

"People just liked to be around James," Kelley said. "He always made people laugh and feel better about themselves. He just had that kind of personality. People were just attracted to him. He was just a great person. We're going to miss him very, very much."

The 40-year-old Kiger also left a legacy to his wife, Karrie, two children and family.

"I know he left such a tremendous impact, and made a tremendous impact on everybody he touched," Swindall said. "He's a good daddy, a good husband and a good family member for all of his family. I know they are heartbroken, and my heart goes out to them. Whoever he's contacted in his life, he's probably made a very tremendous positive impact. That's what we need to focus on going forward. Be glad he was here."