Finding Faith and Balance

Oakman head football and baseball coach Ryan Hall shares his keys to success.

Words by Nick Norris | Images by Ryan McGill

As the head baseball coach, head football coach, and athletic director at Oakman High School, Ryan Hall wears many metaphorical hats. And he wears each of them well.

"It's sort of old school here," Hall explains, "The parents and kids are appreciative and aren't afraid to work hard. The area's blue-collar values fit my personality, too. And I've been blessed to have a great support system and awesome assistant coaches that have allowed me to grow both as a coach and as a person."

Under coach Hall, the Wildcats football team has made the playoffs in all five seasons. In his first season as the school's baseball coach, the team finished 17-8 and made the playoffs.

Hall stays plenty busy, but his duties don't stop with athletics. His top priorities are at home.

"My wife, Brandi, and I have been married for twenty years," Hall says. "We met in college at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, where she played softball and I played baseball. We have a son, Hampton, who I get to coach. We stay busy, but we are blessed."

Finding the time to be everywhere at once can be daunting, but the Hall family makes it work.

"Not to sound like I have it all figured out, because I don't," Hall admits. "But the way my family has managed to balance everything between my positions at Oakman, my wife's head softball coaching career at Jasper High, and our son's life in school and athletics, is that we stay organized and we support one another. My wife is a part of our football program. She's at practices and games. And I do what I can to support her, too. Coaching is a family business for us; for it to work, we intertwine our lives and jobs. And we keep faith and our son at the center of everything we do."

Following in his father's footsteps, Hampton is becoming a decorated ballplayer in his own right. The freshman has been playing varsity baseball for a couple of years and was named to the 14-and-under Southeast NTIS Champions Cup team in 2023, an honor given to the top 36 players from the Southeast.

"He was raised by the community in a way," Ryan says. "I think our people here do a fantastic job of trying to create the best possible experience we can for our kids that come through these schools in the greater Walker County area.

There is a lot of passion and pride in our schools here, whether that be athletics, cheerleading, band, or whatever. There are a lot of places that don't have that sense of pride anymore, and it's something special that Hampton gets to grow up in an area that still has that."

That sense of pride is important to an athletic program, a school, and a community. For Hall, student success stories are a great source of pride.

"The rings tarnish and the trophies rust, but a transformed life is the most powerful thing you can achieve as a coach," Hall says.

"One of our kids that played for me a couple of years ago recently texted me a picture of his newborn baby. Those are the things that are most powerful to me. Just knowing that a former player who's now a man still thinks enough of you to send a photo of his own family meant so much. Those kinds of things rival any win."

Hall has had the opportunity to be a piece of many success stories. A recent one is that of Rick Johnson, an Oakman High graduate who is taking his football talents to the next level. The 6'3" rusher and receiver has been a significant part of Oakman's success over the last few years, and his hard work has led him to sign with Union College in Kentucky.

"We're so proud of Rick and his growth over the past five years," Ryan shares. "He's a tremendous example of staying the course through adversity, continuing to grow as a player, and, more importantly, maturing into a fine young man. He took a lot of pride in being an Oakman Wildcat and we here are going to miss him dearly."

Now with 24 years of coaching under his belt, Hall has had the opportunity to be a source of structure and growth in the lives of hundreds of young men. And out of everything the coach has taught, there are two points he most hopes will stick with his former players:

"I want my players to know how important it is to keep God at the center of their lives," Hall explains. "We don't force anything on our players, but I hope I can be an example to them of how faith can bring a sense of peace in your life. And I also want them to understand how critical it is to build a life around a strong sense of character. I tell our players that you may never reach the ceiling, but the floor will never fall out from under you as long as you have strong faith and a strong character."

As Hall sets his sights on his sixth football season with Oakman, he looks back on the past with pride and looks to the future with hope and excitement for the opportunities ahead.

"It's been an incredible journey for myself, my wife, and my family," Ryan says. "And it's all thanks to the community and the people who have helped make it possible." 78