Boyd-Buchanan senior Jada Hale will be running cross country and track at Austin Peay next fall. She is pictured at the signing party Wednesday morning with her parents Anisa and John Hale.
There have been a lot of firsts in the history of Boyd-Buchanan athletics in recent years and they added another one Wednesday afternoon.
Jada Hale became the first lady Buccaneer to sign a college scholarship to run cross country and track as she made her commitment to Austin Peay State University during a late morning celebration at the school just off North Moore Road.
Hale, the slender 5-9 daughter of Anisa and John Hale, has been a regular member of Boyd-Buchanan’s cross country team for the past four years and was the Region 3-A/AA champion for the last two, including this year with a school-record time of 19 minutes, 53 seconds.
And for the second-straight year, the 18-year-old speedster earned All-State honors after finishing 13th in the A-AA race at Nashville’s Percy Warner Park Steeplechase Course.
Amanda Brazier has been Hale’s coach for the past four years and was thrilled to see all of the hard work she’s put in to finally pay off.
“Unlike a lot of girls who take part in cross country, Jada just loves to run and you can tell it in the way she races,” Brazier said before the official signing took place.
“She’s a naturally-gifted runner who has beautiful form. She’s done all the hard work and it’s finally paying off. We don’t have a track team so she runs for Brainerd, but she’s involved in indoor track right now so she runs year round.
“Jada is the first girl from Boyd-Buchanan to ever receive a college scholarship for cross country or track and I’m so excited for her. The team has come a long way in recent years and Jada has been a great example for the younger girls,” Brazier added.
Jada has an older brother John, who graduated from Boyd-Buchanan in 2013 and is now at Urbana University after graduating from Hiwassee College recently. He was a standout in football and baseball, so younger sister is just following in his footsteps.
“My wife’s family nicknamed her Wilma Rudolph when she was a kid, so for her to go to a school where the track is named in her honor is really special,” said her father John about the former Olympic champion and member of the Tennessee State TigerBelles.
“When she made her visit to their campus in Clarksville, was hooked immediately,” he father added.
Hale had been approached by schools like Bryan, Tennessee Wesleyan and MTSU, but it didn’t take long for her to make the big decision.
“I feel so blessed to be able to go to a school like Austin Peay, but it was a hard choice. I enjoy running track, but I really like longer distances, so cross country is special to me too,” Jada smiled.
“When I’m bored, I go for a run. I know that I’ll have to train harder than ever before, but I’m ready for the challenge,” she nodded.
Jada had lots of special races in cross country, but this year’s Region race at Camp Jordan topped her list after breaking 20 minutes for the first time and setting the school record.
She loves working with animals and is considering studying veterinary medicine, but she’s also giving thought to a career in criminal justice.
(Email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@gmail.com)