On Jan. 22, Naperville Central alumnus Carter Hill (Class of 1984) was inducted into the 2016 Redhawk Athletic Hall of Fame.  Hill was animated about being selected to be a part of such an exclusive group of people.

“This is a fabulous honor, I don’t take it lightly,” Hill said.  “My experience at this school really was fantastic.  This school molded me, it’ll mold people if you let it.  I wish I could be a bigger part of [this school] but sadly I don’t live here.”

During his high school career, Hill placed third at the Illinois state track meet for discus his senior year.  He was also a USA Today and Adidas first team All-American offensive lineman for football.

The biggest highlight of Hill’s high school career was being able to start on the varsity football team his sophomore year with his brother and many of his close friends.  He remembers that at a young age he got to play with more seasoned athletes, athletes with more experience than he had and this really developed his love for the game.

Although Hill was set on playing for Notre Dame for most of his life, Hill decided to play for the University of Texas Longhorns once he realized that Texas had a more social atmosphere that he was more attracted to.   

“I am more of a social guy,” Hill said.  “Notre Dame was a little different when it comes to that, there’s a lot of tradition, a lot of mystique, and I think I made the right choice when it comes to that.”

Hill played center for the Longhorns from 1984 to 1986. He was not drafted into the NFL because of an injury he received from playing football.

During a panel discussion with the other hall of fame inductees and central athletes, Hill talked about the big difference between confidence and arrogance.  He hoped that the athletes would take something away from this life lesson.

“Be confident, don’t ever be arrogant,” Hill said.  “An arrogant individual is just somebody who has never accomplished what they want to accomplish.  They just want to mask the fear of going out and actually doing it.”   

Hill followed that by talking about what creates a true champion.  He wanted the athletes in that room to know that nothing replaces effort.

“You create your own luck through hard work,” Hill said.  “You are entitled to nothing, you have to earn what it is that you want.  A true champion is not someone who wants something just given to them, you want to be able to go out and achieve whatever it is on their own terms.  They want to set a standard for other people to follow.”

In front of a room of varsity athletes, Hill preached that being ordinary isn’t an option, but being modest is.

“Overachievers do not enjoy working with under achievers, and underachievers do not enjoy being around overachievers, it is a very difficult relationship,” Hill said.  “Don’t ever settle for mediocrity, but no matter how good you are and how good you want to be, one of the most important things you can do is be able to laugh at yourself.”

As Hill looked back at his high school years and remembered the good times he had with his teammates, he had one last thing to say to the high school athletes sitting in that room.

“Love the people you are sitting next to today,” Hill said.  “Care about those people and protect them because they are going to be the people who will do the same for you 20 years from now.”