GopherHole Q&A: Offensive Tackle Gerone Hamilton Jr. Talks Gophers Junior Day, Recruitment and More
By Chris Monter
http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/791760?referrer_id=331171
Gerone Hamilton Jr., a 6-foot-5, 245-pound junior offensive tackle from Richfield (MN) Academy of Holy Angels High, visited Minnesota recently for their Junior Day.
Hamilton Jr. also plays defensive tackle and end for the Stars and is a long snapper for punts and field goals. He helped lead the Stars to a 4-6 record, losing to Benilde St. Margaret's 44-29 in the second round of the Section 5AAAA playoffs.
Hamilton Jr. also throws discus and shot put for the Stars' track and field team.
Gopher Hole recently caught up with Hamilton Jr. to learn more about his Minnesota visit and early recruitment.
Gopher Hole: You recently visited Minnesota for their Junior Day. What did you get a chance to do and see when you were there?
Gerone Hamilton Jr.: We got to see the locker room and the spring practice. Got to talk a little about the school.
Gopher Hole: Was this during the Spring game or just a practice?
Gerone Hamilton Jr.: There was a practice there.
Gopher Hole: Did you get a chance to go to any other Junior Days?
Gerone Hamilton Jr.: I was invited to the one at UND, but I didn't make it to that and another one at Northern Michigan. Howard had wanted to come down there and TCU invited me to the spring game.
Gopher Hole: Are you playing on going anywhere else before the summer or are you going to try to go to some camps this summer?
Gerone Hamilton Jr.: I think that I am going to try to go to some camps and maybe over summer and into next year, I am going to down and visit Howard and as a team, we are going to the SDSU camp.
Gopher Hole: What schools are you hearing from right now?
Gerone Hamilton Jr.: The two offers I have are from Howard and Concordia St. Paul. I have been in touch with the coach from UNLV. Holy Cross is coming to see me tomorrow after school. Northern Michigan is coming Tuesday.
Gopher Hole: I know that you also throw the shot put and discus. How do you think that helps you for football in terms of foot work and strength training?
Gerone Hamilton Jr.: I would say that both help me a lot with my hips, because I have been working with my hips and my feet to get faster. I have been working with a strength coach, too. I have been working with him over the weekends and it also contributes to my discus and shot put, too, because of my hips and getting my legs stronger.
Gopher Hole: How is the track season going so far this year?
Gerone Hamilton Jr.: Pretty good. I do discus the most. We have had three meets. I got first in one and second in the other two. It is good though, because the head coach is also the head coach for track. Jim Gunderson, who is a pretty good coach for track and football, so I like that.
Gopher Hole: So, it is a good way to keep him happy with you, by doing well in track.
Gerone Hamilton Jr.: Yes.
Gopher Hole: What would it mean to maybe have the opportunity to play Division I football?
Gerone Hamilton Jr.: The chance to play Division I football would be a dream. It would be pretty much everything that I have worked for. Just to play Division I football, I would have to keep my grades up and just be a better athlete and better leader. That is something that I keep working on. If I got to that level, which I have been striving for, it would mean that I made it. I've been a better leader. I've done everything that I needed to do to get there.
Gopher Hole: I know that you mentioned going to some camps this summer. Have you thought about what camps you might go to yet?
Gerone Hamilton Jr.: Just right now, the only camp that I am for sure going to is the team camp that we are going to at SDSU.
Gopher Hole: You were at the Gopher Junior Day and they have a new coaching staff that a lot of funs and even recruits are excited about. What was your reaction in dealing with the new staff?
Gerone Hamilton Jr.: I liked them a lot. I liked how excited they were towards us. They were excited that we were there. They just seemed like they really wanted us there to contribute to the team and contribute to the school.
Gopher Hole: Were you hearing much from the old staff or did you start hearing from them when the new staff came in?
Gerone Hamilton Jr.: More when the new staff came in.
Gopher Hole: Did you get a chance to go many college football games this past fall?
Gerone Hamilton Jr.: No.
Gopher Hole: Would that be something that you would like to do to check out some of the campuses?
Gerone Hamilton Jr.: Yes. It would be good to see what campus life is like and what the game culture is like.
Gopher Hole: What do you see as your strengths as a football player?
Gerone Hamilton Jr.: My strengths would probably be being a leader. I like being a leader on the line, especially because I get to hang out with my dudes all the time, on and off the field. Be a good leader and I like to learn a lot from them. Another one would be just the way that I think, I guess, because different aspects of school, like math, relate to leverage really contributes to being an offensive lineman.
Gopher Hole: What things are you working on to continue to improve yourself as a player?
Gerone Hamilton Jr.: Getting faster, so I have been working to get a lot stronger. Working on my legs and mobility. That is a big factor.
Gopher Hole: How about putting on weight? You are good size for a high school lineman, but obviously when you get to the next level, those linemen are a lot bigger than you. Is that something that you are working on as well?
Gerone Hamilton Jr.: Yes. For next season, I want to gain at least 15 to 20 pounds, so I can be like 255-260. Somewhere in there, that is where I want to be. Eating more. Lifting more and just trying to keep the weight up.
Gopher Hole: Last year, Holy Angels was 4-6. Your head coach will be in his second year. What are the expectations for the upcoming season?
Gerone Hamilton Jr.: My expectation would be a state run. I really think that we can get there with our team, because we only have a few seniors who played that are leaving. Most of the team is coming back and we have a really strong junior class right now and when we are seniors, I think that we will be able to step it up and make a state run.
Gopher Hole: Your dad is obviously a very impressive person as the chief of community relations for the St. Paul Fire Department. Is he someone that you have always looked up to as a role model?
Gerone Hamilton Jr.: Yes. One of the biggest things that I looked up to him is how well he handles things and all the adversity that he goes through and the way that he is able to handle it. He also played football. He played Arena until he was about 40 years old and it has always been football and he has always been pushing me to get better and try my hardest.
Gopher Hole: What position did he play?
Gerone Hamilton Jr.: He played center.
Gopher Hole: Is that where you got the love for football?
Gerone Hamilton Jr.: Yes.
Gopher Hole: He obviously played at a high level. What does he talk to you about that or does he tell you much about what you are going to have to do to play at a higher level?
Gerone Hamilton Jr.: Get a lot bigger. That is one thing. Just have that drive. Just being nasty all the time when I am out on the field. Don't take plays off. Always be an animal out there.
Gopher Hole: You played football in the fall and track and field in the spring. Do you do anything in the winter or do you take that time off?
Gerone Hamilton Jr.: I played basketball for like half the season and then we decided that I should be competiting for football and trying to put on more weight, because the running was making me lose weight. .
Gopher Hole: It sounds like you are a good student. Have academics always been important to you?
Gerone Hamilton Jr.: Yes. It is always school first. Like if I don't have all my stuff in, I have to go late to practice and miss stuff, so that just pushes me to be on the books and make sure everything is done and completed before I can do the other stuff.
Gopher Hole: What is your GPA?
Gerone Hamilton Jr.: 3.1.
Gopher Hole: Have you even thought much about a possible college major?
Gerone Hamilton Jr.: Yes. I really like Math and Science, so I was thinking somewhere in Engineering. I'm not sure of what type of Engineering yet or maybe Accounting, so something with Math.
Gopher Hole: You said that you are starting to hear from the Gophers. What would it mean to have the chance to maybe play for the home state school?
Gerone Hamilton Jr.: I think that would be really good, because people in my community would be able to see me and hear from me a lot and it would just show them that all the people that have helped me to get to where I am and show that anything is possible.
