BY DEXTER MCCREE, Feature Writer
ST. PETERSBURG — Coach Angie Hall was born and raised in the Jordan Park community, whereas a little girl, she frequented the Wildwood Recreation Center, now named the Thomas “Jet” Jackson Center. Her brother saw potential in her athletic prowess, and her journey began.
“I would play basketball, volleyball, and softball rain or shine, morning, noon, and night. I just loved sports,” said Hall.
Basketball ended up being her favorite sport because it came easily to her. Hall played for Dixie Hollins High School, now named Hollins High School, and continued playing at St. Petersburg College.
Hall dreamed of playing internationally but learned that she was pregnant. She gave birth to a baby boy and chose to be a mother to her son. She did not want to miss him growing up and didn’t regret her decision.
Then in 2001, Hall gave birth to her second child, Denise Hall-Papaleo. With her love for basketball and now two children, Hall found herself surrounded by potential players who sought her basketball tutelage. She began coaching at Gary and Jenkins Memorial coed league at Wildwood.
Enjoying the challenge of competing against other teams, this became the seed for her and her now-deceased husband to launch “Fast Force,” their first travel boys’ basketball team.
Through the years, the many Amateur Athletic Union teams she coached were given team names by the player’s ability and characteristics. The latest team, “DEM BOYZ,” is a group of explosive players from the St. Petersburg area.
“My late husband, Thomas, and I decided that we wanted to give our kids an outlet through sports,” explained Hall. “His transition in 2015 was a pivotal moment in my life.”
Hall needed to fight through the loss of her main coaching partner, father of her children and the love of her life to decide how she would carry on. Basketball had been an integral part of her life, and now she stood at a crossroads. She followed her heart, and DEM Boyz (Dedicated, Educated, Minds) was born.
Hall is the basketball coordinator for this south St. Pete program, which helps troubled youth stay on the path that can lead to success rather than destruction. The program’s mission is to provide positive role models, opportunities for setting personal and academic goals, leadership training and strategies for resisting negative peer pressure.
Ultimately, these opportunities will strengthen and build productive citizens who will enhance the communities they live in. Basketball is the medium she uses.
DEM BOYZ put together an impressive and successful AAU season by becoming Youth Basketball of America (YBOA) state champions a month ago in Winter Haven to advance to the National tournament. The two-time state champs went on to win four games in the national tournament, defeating teams from the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico before falling to DeKalb Eagles, 62 to 56.
A second-place finish in the national tournament speaks to the quality of talent and player development that Coach Hall has put together in St Petersburg. The boys love her, and the parents appreciate her love and dedication to the children. Coach Hall is a true basketball mom.
Coach Angie Hall goes above and beyond for our students at Sander’s Exceptional Center. She is dedicated to ensuring that all students learn and excel at life.