Junior David Hull was surprised during upper school assembly on January 17 as the recipient of the Making a Difference On and Off the Field award by the nonprofit organization Buddy’s Helpers. The organization surprises student-athletes across the nation in recognition of their leadership both as an athlete and community member
“There’s so many great people out there who deserve this award as well and it means a lot because hopefully that means that what I’m trying to do to make a difference in other people’s lives is working,” Hull said.
Along with winning a check for a charity donation, Hull also received two tickets to an Orlando Magic game.
Varsity Basketball Coach and Mathematics teacher Eric Schneider has been coaching Hull for the last 3 years and teaching him for the past 2. Schneider agrees that Hull has a positive impact on and off the court.
“David’s awesome, a great teammate, and an outstanding leader,” Schneider said. “The best thing I can say about him is that he always keeps a positive attitude, regardless of the situation.”
The Making a Difference On and Off the Field Award by Buddy’s Helpers is an award that recognizes excellence both on the field and in the community. January marks the 97th consecutive month that Buddy’s Helpers has presented the campaign with honors and surprises to student-athletes across the nation. The award is one that is meant to be completely unknown to the recipient, and Hull was nominated by the Trinity Prep Athletics Office for his efforts both on and off the field.
“What I try and do is lead by example,” Hull said. “That’s a [really] important thing for me as a captain on a couple of teams at school, and just at school [in general] because as an upperclassman, even if you’re not on a sports team, kids are always looking at you.”
Another part of the award was being interviewed on the local News 6 channel. Hull talked about how he was feeling during that moment and what the experience was like.
“I think I’m pretty good on my feet, but I would say you could definitely call it overwhelming just because it was so unexpected,” Hull said. “But overall [it was] a really great experience and not something that everyone gets to go through.”
Schneider mentioned a specific moment on the basketball court where he thought Hull really stepped up and stood out as a leader.
“It’s a small thing, but for us last year, it seemed like nobody really wanted the ball in their hands in tough situations,” Schneider said. “And David [as] point guard this year really took ownership of that and wanted that moment in his hands and to help the team score and get stops.”
An achievement like this is something that can be carried through the rest of high school and college careers and into adult life. Hull mentioned how he can do that and the standard it sets for himself moving forward.
“It really sets a standard that I can try and live up to and never take it for granted.”
