Athlete of the Fall: Tim Hale

Restraint is one of a football player's rarely mentioned qualities, but Tim Hale, Fitch football's recent contribution to the All-State Division L team, capitalized on his ability to use it and his opponent's tendency to lose it.

Last year, Hale said he had "too many personal fouls to count," but this year, the 5'11", 200-lb. linebacker "learned how to stay focused and stay in the game."

Hale played almost an entire game with a split lip after being punched by a Griswold player in the first quarter. Hale had his face taped, there was gauze in his mouth and he was tasting blood for the rest of the game, but that didn't stop him from making two interceptions and running one back for a touchdown.

"If I had the attitude I had last year, I would have hit him right there," he said. 

Also this season, Hale blocked a punt by Plainfield, which he ran back for a touchdown and increased Fitch's lead from 17-8 to 24-8, which, according to Hale, "put the game away." And, Fitch football coach Mike Emery said Hale has an exceptional knack for tackling opponents. He led the team with an average of 10 to 12 tackles a game and 120 to 140 in the season. 

Hale credits this season's successes to increased weight training and a changed attitude. Hale received the MVP award for the Thanksgiving game against Ledyard, The Norwich Bulletin and The Day selected him to their All-Area teams and he was named to the Connecticut High School Coaches Association All-State Team.  He is  the Groton Patch's Male Athlete of the Fall. 

Out of 36 football teams in the division, with about 50 players each, Hale was one of 24 high school athletes selected for the CHSCA All-State Team. He was selected as offensive lineman, though his shining moments in this year's season were on defense as a linebacker.

"That tells you how good he was. He was good on both sides of the ball," said Emery, who said the selection is a big honor. "He did a great job for us all three years, but I think he came into his own this year."