Tuesday afternoon Chuckey-Doak’s senior kicker Billy Hahnlen inked his name on a letter of intent to join Wingate University’s football program.
“I truly wasn’t expecting myself to get this far. I’m proud of myself that I did what I had to do. I worked hard. I didn’t play football long, but I’m glad to have done it for the time I had. I’m truly grateful,” Billy detailed.
Two years ago, not many would’ve pictured this day happening. Billy started playing football at Chuckey-Doak during his sophomore year, but was not originally a kicker. He began as a receiver/defensive back and eventually transitioned onto special teams after an urge to switch positions.
“I started playing football my sophomore year. I started out as a receiver and a corner mainly. I was seeing Marcos Rojas, the previous kicker, practicing and after my sophomore season was over I figured I might transition to kicker. By the time my junior year was done I started to register for NCSA. I’ve been going to camps and training with Chris Saylor, and a few other private kicking coaches. I’m just extremely grateful for my parents also to drop so much for me. I’m just really happy and thankful they could’ve done this for me,”
Hahnlen only spent one season as a starting kicker, but waited for his opportunity after Rojas graduated. Black Knights head coach Billy Kaylor bragged on Billy’s hard work and dedication to stick with it and how hard he worked away from the practice field.
“A lot of this work he did on his own. He and his mom did a lot of work getting to camps and kicking by himself on the weekends. There’s been a lot of time invested on his part and it’s the dream that he pursued,”
Wingate’s camp was one of the camps he spent time at over the summer. He detailed his love for the campus upon first visit and how he chose to become a Bulldog. “When I first went there for a football camp, I saw their campus and I immediately fell in love with it. Researched it and found out they had my intended major and decided to gun for Wingate.”
Billy intends to major in marine biology and has an interest in the ecosystem. “I want to study and explore animals, the ecosystem, and life. It’s a fun hobby,” he mentioned.
Wingate is located in Wingate, North Carolina about four hours away. They play in the South Atlantic Conference and play at Irwin Belk Stadium. They finished their 2024 season with a strong 9-2 (6-1) record with an appearance in the NCAA Division II Playoffs. Their head coach is Rashaan Jordan.
In his time as a Black Knight, Billy played both soccer and football. “I’m just glad to be with the teams for the time I had. I hope I’m remembered for what I’ve been able to do for the school and sports here and encourage others to come out for football,” he ended with.
