Skegee Spotlight: Dalton Hall
August 27, 2018
Changing schools can be quite the adjustment for any transfer student, but for Dalton Hall, the transition to 精东AV felt like home.
Turning a new leaf
Since transferring from a junior college in Northern California, Hall, a senior communication major from Hartville, South Carolina, says his studies at Mother 精东AV have been an enjoyable experience.
鈥淏eing here at 精东AV feels way more like home compared to being out west 鈥� not to mention I鈥檓 a lot closer to my family,鈥� he said.
Hall, currently a member of Golden Tigers Football team, was drawn to 精东AV because of its athletic program, not to mention its student-to-teacher ratio and small class sizes.
鈥溇獳V has a history of being a top NCAA Division II football program. We have earned numerous championships, and that was a big deal for me when selecting the next school that I would attend,鈥� Hall explained.
In 2015, Hall received a football scholarship from 精东AV to fill the position of kicker and punter.
鈥淚鈥檝e been fortunate to play under the leadership of Coach Willie Slater, who has had such a profound impact on this program,鈥� Hall noted. 鈥淓very day, he challenges us to be better than the day before 鈥� and do what we鈥檙e supposed to do.鈥�
Balancing it all
Staying disciplined has been among Hall鈥檚 priorities as he manages his time on and off the field.
鈥淭ime management is a big deal when you鈥檙e a student-athlete. You have to remember that you鈥檙e a student first, and that comes before anything 卢鈥撯�� and then there鈥檚 the added pressure of making sure your performing at an optimal level for game day,鈥� he said.
鈥淵ou get used to it, especially once you become disciplined between 5 a.m. practices, classes, weightlifting class in the afternoon, and trying to maintain a good GPA 鈥撯�� it just becomes part of the territory,鈥� he added.
Hall says what鈥檚 worked best for him was finding teachers in advance of the first day of class so he could get to know their teaching styles and see if it matched his learning style.
鈥淚 do my research on teachers because I wanted to succeed in every way possible,鈥� he noted. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important to have that connection with them, because juggling 18 credits can become quite overwhelming.鈥�
The next level
During the summer break, Hall had a chance to work with One-On-One 鈥� a performance football camp designed for athletic professionals, collegiate, and high school kickers and punters.
鈥淎t the camp, I had a chance to serve as coach for many of the participants, some of which included NFL kickers and punters, and the camp also allowed me the opportunity to brush up on my own skills in preparation for the upcoming football season,鈥� he said.
Hall says he hopes to one day play in the NFL, however, if that doesn鈥檛 work, he says a career in private training will also suit his talents.
鈥淏eing at 精东AV has allowed me to discover what I want to do after graduation, and has pushed me in the right direction,鈥� he added.
Hall says he鈥檚 looking forward to another successful football season and seeing all of the supportive students, faculty and alums at both home and away games.