When it comes to sports legends, Barry Hall still looms large at Gordon Central.  As a senior football star, Hall led the Warriors to the state quarter finals, the deepest play-off birth in school history.  Gordon Central retired Hall’s football jersey, the first and only football jersey to be retired in the school’s history.  That day, September 28, 2001, was officially proclaimed “Barry Hall Day” by the mayor of Calhoun.

Barry’s on the field success led to a full athletic scholarship to Middle Tennessee State University.  After red-shirting his freshman year, Hall started every football game (42 games straight) for the remainder of his college career.  His leadership abilities earned him team-captain honors both his junior and senior year.  He was an all-Conference selection his sophomore and junior year and an all-Independent selection his senior year and an All-American candidate his senior year and ranked in the top 20 offensive tackles going into the 2001 NFL Draft.

Hall was awarded the Academic Athlete Scholarship his first two semesters in college and was on the Student Advisory Committee in college as well.  Barry’s wife, Krista, said, “One of my proudest moments was when Barry became the first college graduate in his family”.  Barry credits football for keeping him focused on his academic goals and credits his participation on the track team for teaching him perseverance.  He went on to earn a masters degree as well.

Barry earned a place on the roster of the NFL football Tennessee Titans in 2001.  Following an injury in 2002, Hall went to the Houston Texans during their expansion year and finished his NFL career with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2003.

‘Coach’ Hall returned to his alma mater where he spent the next 12 years coaching football for the Warriors.  He was part of the coaching staff for six of Gordon Centrals seven playoff births as a coach or player.  Hall has worked with adaptive physical education for nine years, has volunteered for Special Olympics and has supported other charities such as Relay for Life and Jump Rope for Heart.  Hall and his wife Krista created the “Coaches Closet” at Gordon Central, which is a closet for clothes for Gordon Central students in need.  An average of nine students uses the closet weekly.

Barry now coaches the offensive line for the defending state champion Rome High School.  Barry and his wife Krista both teach at Rome High School and they have two daughters, Ansley, 9, and Marley, who is 7 years old.