Naijiel Hale is a sophomore and corner-back at Lakewood High School. Hale is also the son of late rapper and singer Nathaniel Hale, a.k.a Nate Dogg.
In a recent interview with Fox Sports, Naijiel told the press of the pain he endured after his father passed away. “When it first happened, I actually wanted to quit and just stop bit I had people talk to me, telling me it makes me stronger. I felt like something was missing.” Since Hale’s father was his biggest supporter during games, not having him present was devastating. Although he initially wanted to quit, Naijiel received a lot of support from his coach who lost his father the previous summer.
Hale now leads his team to victory and is determined to endure life’s struggles. As his coach notes, “He’s [Naijiel] one of those super sophomores that I have and he’s unbelievable outside on the corner. He really is one of the best corners I’ve seen play [and] just naturally be able to do his job.”
Read the full interview here.
