Hallman motors to state meet berth

Posted 5/5/22

When a local athlete achieves a ticket to the Texas state track and field championships, many people make the trip with them in spirit. There is no doubt that athletes compete at the state meet as individuals or, in case of relays, in small teams, but they represent families and schools and communities. 

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Hallman motors to state meet berth

Posted

When a local athlete achieves a ticket to the Texas state track and field championships, many people make the trip with them in spirit. There is no doubt that athletes compete at the state meet as individuals or, in case of relays, in small teams, but they represent families and schools and communities. 

The Alba-Golden community will once again be represented at the state meet, this year by sophomore sprinter, Jake Hallman. 

Hallman will be competing in what is likely the most well-known race – the 100-meter dash. The young athlete posted an 11.22 second time at the UIL 2A Region 2 meet conducted last week in Springtown.  He earned a second-place finish and qualified for that coveted trip to Austin.

Hallman’s soft-spoken nature belies an intense focus and determination. “I’ll admit, I am a bit of a perfectionist,” Hallman stated.

Hallman stepped his way through the finals. He described how maintaining his concentrated focus keeps him from interacting with the other competitors. “Some guys want to talk and there can be a lot of chatter, I just want to concentrate,” he stated.

In the moments before the starter’s gun fires, he is intently thinking about the sound of that gun and how to get the best possible jump out of blocks. Once clear of the blocks his focus shifts to maintaining his running form. 

Hallman related how he likes to run in the middle of the pack, preferably in lane 4, as it makes it easier to track the other runners through his peripheral vision. In the finals, he ran in lane 5. 

As the heat progresses down the track, Hallman can judge where he is in the field and who he needs to close at the finish. 

In his qualifying race at Springtown, he took second place by exactly 2/100’s of a second. Laser measuring technology was used to determine the finishing order. 

“I knew it was a close finish and I had to wait a few minutes until the final finishing line-up was posted on the big screen,” he said. 

In typical fashion, when asked what he was thinking of as he waited, he answered, “I was thinking about how I could have run a better race.”

Without an ounce of conceit, Hallman credited his training for his sprinting success. “If you practice it enough, sprinting can become a matter of muscle memory,” he offered. He is certainly at home in the Alba-Golden athletics department. The program is dedicated to improving very specific athletic skills through precise measurement and conditioning.  

He also credits the natural competitiveness within his family. Four older siblings have recorded significant athletic achievements through their high school careers. “It probably started with my eldest sister, Kenzie,” Hallman remarked, “she set an initial standard that each of us have tried to better.”

Hallman is a bit of a student of sprinting as well. He spends considerable time watching videos of national-level sprinters. His favorite at the moment is Matthew Boling of the University of Georgia.

The son of Nicole Vaughan and James Hallman, the young sprinter will be preparing for Austin by maintaining a healthy diet, staying right mentally, continuing his conditioning and getting plenty of rest. “Mom makes some great food for me,” he added.

Hallman advised that some of his family will be making the trip to Austin with him. The community will also be cheering him, even if from afar.