Words by Justin Hunter | Images by Ryan McGill

Oakman High School Head Football Coach Ryan Hall was one of seven recipients of the prestigious “Making A Difference” Award at the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s 25th Annual Championship Coaches’ Awards Banquet on July 23rd, 2021.  

Three years ago, Hall took over the head coaching duties for the Wildcats after a stint as the offensive coordinator for the Jasper High School Vikings. After making a name for himself in north Alabama as a baseball coach, Oakman was his first football head coaching job. 

“When I started coaching football, I noticed the relationships I built with the athletes were a little different than when I coached baseball,” says Hall. “I had never coached football before, so I didn’t put a ton of pressure on myself to be good at it. I was more mindful of how I treated my guys. I’m not mean or overly critical of them. I love them tough. I am a different coach now than I was when I was younger.”

Earlier this year, Hall was surprised he was nominated for the “Making A Difference” Award and shocked when he realized he had won. The award honors one AHSAA member school coach, administrator, or contributor in each classification for their contributions to their schools and the positive ways they have changed lives in their communities. It is designed to highlight a single individual who went above and beyond coaching to impact the lives of young people. 

Once receiving the award, Hall stepped out of the spotlight and credited the Wildcats coaching staff as the reason for his nomination. 

“It’s more than just me at Oakman, it is our entire staff who are trying to make a difference,” says Hall. “We all have a similar philosophy in that we want these young men to be better people when they get out into the real world and meet the demands of life. We want to make them excellent young men more than we want to make football players.”

The principles of the Oakman football program are extracted from the parable of the sower in the Gospels. Coach Hall believes planting good seeds in these teenagers will bear fruit in the years to come. 

“We get all types of soil in the program. Sometimes the ground is rocky because a young person has a rough home life, but we believe you can cultivate that soil in a healthy environment,” he explains.

The Wildcats’ first game of the 2021 season is scheduled for August 20 against last year’s 4A state runner-up, Gordo High School. It will be an uphill battle, but Coach Hall is preparing his team to win.

“There are two kinds of coaches in sports: transactional and transformational,” Hall says. “The transactional coach views everything through the lens of winning games and how athletes can help build their name. Transformational coaches view their programs to help better people. I’ve got a son, and I want him to play for the latter.” 78