Four Questions with Atkinson County coach Kip Hall

GHSF Daily asked Georgia head coaches to answer these four questions. We'll report from a different head coach each day.

Kip Hall, Atkinson County

1. Who is/was the most influential person in your coaching career? "There are several people that were influences in my life. First of all my father, who taught me that when you start something, you see it through. Growing up, I had two opportunities to go to Europe, but I had started fall practice and that would mean I would miss several weeks of practice. At the time, I did not fully appreciate what my father taught me about commitment. Today I realize how valuable it is to have committed players and coaches in your program. Coach Jack Moore, when I first played football, was old school and fit every stereotype of a hard-nosed, no-nonsense football coach. He pushed me harder than any coach I ever had in my career. Coach Billy Henderson [at Clarke Central] is another big influence. He taught me a tremendous amount of football, but he taught so much more about relationships with parents, with players and with the business community. It was amazing how he made that program and community a family. Coach Kenny Reese was great at getting every ounce of talent with what he had to work with. Not only was he a great story teller, he was a great problem solver. I have never met a person that could get any issue or situation on and off the field taken care of like he could. He taught me so much about the game from a different perspective that I use all the time. Finally, coach Wayne McDuffie and coach Richard Bell. [Hall was a trainer at Georgia from 1991 to 1993.] These two men allowed me to learn so much about the game from two totally different personalities. They gave me the jump start I needed to become a head coach."

2. Who is the best Georgia player you ever faced? "Charlie Dean at Clarke Central in 1979. We were down 21-15 at half. We were playing them tough, but in the second half he threw lights out and beat us [Henderson] 53-15."

3. What is the best team you ever faced as a coach? "Parkview in 2000. Jeff Francouer was a man playing with boys. After working at the college level, that Parkview team looked and played like a D-II college team."

4. If you were Gary Phillips, the new head of the GHSA, what would be the first rule that you would try to change? "I would like to go back to a longer spring with a controlled scrimmage at the end. What makes Georgia a hotbed for college talent and have some of the best football in the country is having spring practice."