University of Georgia Athletics
Bulldog Kate Hall: Beyond The Track
February 09, 2017 | Track & Field
Bulldog long jumper and sprinter Kate Hall has begun her career in Athens and picked up right where she left off at Iowa State. The sophomore transfer from Casco, Maine, currently has the nation's fifth-best long jump mark this year at 21 feet, 3 ¼ inches and has been second at both meets she has competed in. Hall, who is joined in the country's top five by two Georgia teammates (Keturah Orji, Kendell Williams), has also clocked the second-fastest 60-meter dash time in school history at 7.35 and fastest since 1999.
Here is a glimpse at Kate Hall beyond the track:
Georgiadogs.com: What made you pick Georgia since you were raised in Maine?
KH: It actually wasn't a very hard decision. I was recruited to come here out of high school but at the time Petros (Kyprianou) wasn't the head coach. I ended up liking Iowa State and decided to go there but it ended up not working out. During my time there, I realized that Petros had become the head coach so when things didn't go my way at Iowa State, I decided that since Georgia was my second choice originally, I would try it out. I went on a visit and immediately knew this was where I wanted to be.
Georgiadogs.com: Why did you pick Kinesiology as your major?
KH: Throughout my high school running career, I had a trainer (Chris Pribish) that coached me in the weight room and pretty much overall was my head coach, but weight training was his specialty. I was really intrigued by everything he had me do. He wasn't an ordinary strength coach, he knew everything from strength and conditioning, to physical therapy and sports medicine. I learned so much from him and I decided I wanted to follow in his footsteps.
Georgiadogs.com: How has your transition here at Georgia been since you came from Iowa State?
KH: It has been a really easy transition actually! I had some really good friends at Iowa State so it was definitely hard leaving them. I've really bonded with my roommate (freshman heptathlete Louisa Grauvogel) here and we are best friends. The team atmosphere is incredible, everyone is close and everyone likes each other, there's really no drama. We always get together to hangout and have game nights, which is really cool. The team environment is really neat because I didn't really get to experience that before.
Georgiadogs.com: What is your favorite part about Athens?
KH: I absolutely love the weather and downtown is really unique. It's so nice that it is so close to campus, and it's really convenient for when you need a place to hang out and do homework between classes.
Georgiadogs.com: Where is your favorite place to eat?
KH: I love sushi so I think the best place I've tried is Shokitini.
Georgiadogs.com: What made you choose track/when were you first interested?
KH: This is actually a funny story, when I was 10-years-old I was really involved in soccer and basketball. And at all the soccer practices we would always race each other and I would normally win. But this one time, a girl who was much more skilled in soccer beat me. The competitive nature in me kicked in and I figured out this girl had been running track. When my dad heard this he kind of pushed me into trying it because he thought it would help me get faster. So I went to this summer program and tried out about six events and had a blast and knew that was when I wanted to pursue track more.
Georgiadogs.com: What has it been like being an athlete with diabetes and what challenges/experiences have you been through that have helped you in the long run?
KH: Overall, I think diabetes has made me who I am and it has made me really disciplined, which has also caused me to be a lot more disciplined in the sport. There are definitely challenges along the way. For example, you have to constantly keep track of your blood sugars, which can be really difficult when competing. It can be especially challenging when you are doing multiple events because you are constantly moving and busy and you don't always have time to stop and eat a meal. I always try to stop and check my blood sugars about every 30 minutes. If your blood sugar goes too low or too high, it can mess the PH levels in your body up and cause muscle cramps. I've actually had this happen to me at events and it's caused me to have to stop competing and not complete my events. It's a lot of work but once you get the hang of it, it's not too bad and honestly I wouldn't change it if I had the choice.
Georgiadogs.com: Your high school and American Junior records are very impressive, what was it like setting those records and what motivated you?
KH: Well, I always had this dream of becoming a national champion. When I was a freshman in high school I was really good for the state of Maine, but I was nowhere close to national level so that was my goal: to reach national level. When I was a sophomore and junior, I actually placed second behind Keturah (Orji) in the long jump at New Balance Nationals Indoors. So I was super-motivated to come back the next year and win it. My trainer really helped prepare me. I ended up winning indoors and going into outdoors, my mentality was 'I can't lose after winning indoors.' So I was really pumped up going into it. I had been jumping a high of 20 feet but my goal was to jump 21 feet and it just wasn't happening at first. But my last jump, the girl before me jumped 20 feet, 4 inches or 20-5 and I knew I had to do it then, I knew I couldn't lose. I ended up jumping 22-5 feet and that was honestly the best day, I was completely shocked.
Georgiadogs.com: What were the US Olympic Trials like? Good experience? What did you learn from them? Would you do it again?
KH: The Olympic Trials have been a dream of mine since I was a freshman in high school. Going to the Olympic Trials was a crazy experience because I had never competed with that many people in the stands so I was incredibly nervous going into it. Competing against Olympians and professionals was something I had never done either. So now looking back on it, I know what to expect for next time and if I had never gone I would not know how to prepare for next time. I was actually hoping to jump further there but with my training, my body wasn't prepared to jump two days in a row. But now I'm prepared to make the changes in my training to prepare myself for next time.
Georgiadogs.com: What is your favorite part about the UGA women's track team?
KH: The team is just so motivated and excited. Being in an atmosphere where you are surrounded by such motivation and excitement just causes you to become even more motivated and excited as well. It helps me want to get better and be as good as some of the Olympians I train with.
