My name is Zion Hall, I am the appointed Head Coach for our swim team and the Execute Director of Champion’s Coaching, Inc. It’s my pleasure to spend my time with your athlete helping them realize their potential as a USA Swimmer and watch them grow.
A little about myself:
- I was a competitive swimmer from the age of 8 to 18.
- Became a certified lifeguard and Water Safety Instructor for the City of Raleigh
- Received my USA Swimming coaching license at 18 years old as an assistant coach.
A few of my other accomplishments include:
- I started my own team!
- Running a City of Raleigh swim team (Go Pullen Pirates!) as the head coach, and provide them with the most wins the parents had reportedly seen in a while – including setting a couple of records!
- Building confidence in and coaching up athletes to help them get into their high school swim team.
- As the first female (and only other coach on my former USA Swim team) learn how to run practices and during meets check in and coach my teammates while having to coach my own races.
- Coach a Senior Championship, Senior Sectional, and Futures Championship meet.
- Coached kids from different nations such as Ethiopians, Nigerians, Kenyans, and Bahamians. One of which is part of an Eritrean swim group that made the 2024 Olympics. She is also looking to participate in the Olympics for her country in the future.
- Stood in as the head coach for a local HOA summer swim team to provide my expertise in coaching skills.
- Teach lessons to minority athletes who were just learning how to swim. And started an annual Juneteenth water safety program.
- Spoken to and learned from college coaches like NC State and Duke, and the only HBCU with a swim team – Howard University.
- Collaborated and worked with four non-profit organizations, 2 national and 2 local, that help minorities and the underserved population to provide my expertise on water safety
As you can see, I’m very passionate about my role in bringing water safety awareness to Black and other people of color and encouraging them to find the water safe, fun, and most importantly a GREAT sport in which to compete.
In December of 2024, I will see my 20th birthday. I have been around swimming almost all my life, and I wish to bring that joy to more swimmers like me for years to come. Our unattached group of athletes have grown a bond and are thriving under that bond. Even without a team name, they continue to work super hard as if they did have a name and I couldn’t be prouder of what the parents, our Board, athletes, and I have achieved. And we hope that you choose to rise up and join the ride!