Virginia Wesleyan University’s Jordan Hall’s track and field collegiate career has been marked by change.
He’s had a new coach every year, but the Virginia Beach native weathered the change and has accomplished conference and nationwide accolades in his events.
She Scored Sports talked with him about the last four years at a recent meet at Christopher Newport University.
This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and length.
She Scored Sports: You’re coming off of a huge indoor season, winning the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) championship in the long jump. What did that moment mean to you?
Jordan Hall: It meant everything because I was out for like two weeksprior to that, because I was injured. I messed up my hand, so I was injured for my freshman year, so it was good to come back. (It felt good) that first week of the week of ODAC just to come out and win. It was a surprise for me for real.
SSS: You had a personal best of 7.09 meters in the long jump and ranked top 40 in the nation. When did you realize you were performing at that level?
JH: It didn't really sink in for me until, like, after the jump. I see my coach, and I'm like, "Dang, like, we really did it. I gotta go tell them thank you for that."
SSS: This is your senior year. How would you describe your journey over the past four years?
JH: My journey over the past four years was long but fun because we had four different coaches we had to listen to this every year. But that's what separates (us). A lot of people would have just left or transfer. I chose to just stay and stick through, trust the process and pull through and trust my coaches.
SSS: Now that outdoor season is underway, what are you focusing on?
JH: Finishing, staying healthy, working hard.
SSS: How do you prepare mentally and physically to contribute to multiple events?
JH: I grew up doing multiple sports. I play football, basketball, soccer, track. I used to go to my soccer games and my football games, so l'm just used to doing different things at different times, having to adjust to different events.
SSS: You're a Virginia Beach native representing Ocean Lakes High School. What does it mean to represent your hometown while competing at the collegiate level?
JH: My girlfriend, she gets sick of me every time I talk about it.
SSS: What goes through your mind before you step onto the runway?
JH: For me today, whenever I step on the runway, I just think, “Run hard, push.” I'm going to execute my job. Don't get in my head. That's the worst thing you can do.
SSS: As your collegiate career comes to a close, what do you want people to remember about you and your time at Virginia Wesleyan?
JH: I want people to remember that, like, we have fun. I stuck through everything. I could have just left. That's not who I am. That's not my character.
SSS: What's something people don't see about the work that goes into being a track and field athlete?
JH: People think track is just running. It's not just that. If you're not there mentally, you're not going to be there physically.
WHRO’s Digital Producer Alexis Mitchell is the founder and President of She Scored Sports. She does not work on content related to the partnership in her role at WHRO.
For more information about She Scored Sports, visit their Instagram.
For more information on WHRO’s standards of journalism, go here.
