By Staff
Kim West
Franklin County Times
THARPTOWN – Trevor Hallmark is a seemingly quiet person, but Tharptown basketball coach Jonathon Odom said that changes when he steps on the playing field or court.
"Trevor is quiet until you get to know him, but he's not quiet on the football field or on the basketball court," Odom said. "He is the hardest worker we have, or ever will have. I never have to ask him to practice because he is here anytime the gym is open."
Hallmark, a sophomore, has compiled an "A" average since his freshman year and is also an active member in Future Business Leaders of America at Tharptown.
"He is a good kid in the classroom, and he is a role model and a leader for the other kids," Odom said.
Hallmark, 16, said his favorite subject is science, but he couldn't single out a teacher.
"Biology is my favorite subject, because I like learning about nature," he said. "But I don't have a favorite teacher because I like them all."
Hallmark is interested in studying forestry, which is typically only offered at land-grant colleges such as Auburn University and Mississippi State University in Starkville.
"I'm thinking about Mississippi State, because it has forestry (as a major), and I can't go to Auburn because I'm an Alabama fan," he said.
Tharptown competes at the Class 1A level in sports, and the school converted from a junior high school to a full-fledged high school last year.
"It's a little school where everyone knows everybody, and I like that," said Hallmark, who plays football, basketball and baseball.
The Tharptown football program started in 2006 under head coach Dale Overton and played a mixture of varsity and junior varsity teams. This year's team featured brand-new uniforms and finished 7-3 against their first full varsity schedule.
"Coach Overton is exciting, and I like that," said Hallmark. "At first some of the older players didn't like the new uniforms, but we all liked them and thought they were pretty sharp. My favorite memory was probably getting our first win at home this season against Mount Hope – that was pretty exciting."
Hallmark said he laughs the most at corny movies such as Will Ferrell's "Anchorman," and named Dusty "Hot Sauce" Watkins, a junior lineman on the football team, as his funniest teammate.
"We call him that because when he moved here last year, he had on a T-shirt with hot sauce on it, and the nickname has just stuck," Hallmark said.
In his spare time, Hallmark prefers to listen to country music, spend time with friends and hunt and fish.
"I've never been to a concert, but I would like to see Brad Paisley, because I like him and he's funny," he said. "My buddies and me like to go fishing at City Lake in Belgreen or Frazier Lake on Highway 48. During football I didn't have much time to hunt, but lately I've gone a lot more."
Hallmark is the son of Ken and Janna Hallmark and has one younger brother, Kelby, who is a fifth-grader at Tharptown.