Nolan Hall, a senior at Stratford, plays quarterback for the Bulldogs and keys roles on defense at cornerback and safety. He also plays basketball, baseball, power lifts, and runs track. However, Hall is the type of person who views the world with a mature perspective and can see the bigger picture in the game of life. When asked about motivation Hall had this to say:
“My family adopted a newborn baby with Down Syndrome last year at the beginning of football season. My new little brother, Henry, spent most of the season in an ICU in Arizona, waiting to get big enough and strong enough to have a heart surgery. I hadn’t even met him yet, and I knew that he was fighting for every breath he took, so hearing those things and seeing pictures of my new brother fighting for his life really changed my perspective of the whole sport. The thought of him in that hospital kept me going when things would get hard on the field.”
On the field, for Hall there are several key factors required to be successful, but a few stand above the rest.
“Being mentally and physically tough is a huge factor,” Hall said.
Hall wants to play with others who are willing to step up, play through the adversity, and put in extra effort no matter the situation.
“When it’s the fourth quarter and the outcome of the game isn’t looking good, the real players step up,” Hall said. “Those are the guys you want beside you.”
This fall, Hall is excited going into his senior year. He and his senior teammates are looking to leave Stratford on a high note.
“My goals for this year are team oriented,” Hall said. “We’ve got a really solid group of seniors that have been playing through some hard seasons and we’re looking to prove some people wrong and hopefully make a good run while doing so.”
Hall has made many special memories in his time at Stratford. He has started for the Bulldogs since his freshman year and the moments he’s collected since then are ones he’ll cherish forever.
“I’ve got to play with a lot of great guys, and learned a lot of lessons I apply now thanks to them,” Hall said. “I look forward to making lots of new ones this year!”
Next year, Hall looks forward to going on many mission trips, and going into the electrical business with his dad – unless, of course, he gets an offer to play ball at the next level.