Whether in the weight room, on the football field or in the classroom, Bulloch Academy senior David Poole goes above and beyond.
“David goes about football as a business,” said Bulloch Academy head football coach Clint Morgan. “He shows up for work, works hard and then goes home. He takes a quiet, business-like approach. His work ethic is second to none.”
The 17-year old son of Russell and Lori Poole begins the final season of his high-school football career like he started it.
“David is the fullback who started off with our triple-option system,” said Morgan. “He’s been the only fullback we’ve had. We started this system when (former GSU head football coach Brian) VanGorder let it go and David Poole’s been our man ever since.”
As a freshman and in the shadow of tailback Harry Collins, Poole netted just 90 yards on 14 carries and scored twice. As a sophomore, Poole got the ball a little more as he rushed for 274 yards on 48 carries and crossed the goal line five times. Last season, he accumulated 386 yards on 61 carries in a season marred by a shoulder injury.
“People have no idea what a fullback goes through in this system unless they focus on him on every single play,” said Morgan. “He gets hit in the mouth by unblocked players on every single snap, whether he has the ball or not.”
Poole doesn’t mind if the contact or even if he gets the pigskin or not.
“I’ve got a job to do,” said Poole. “I want to do it to the best of my ability. You don’t always get the credit for everything. If everybody works together, good things will happen.”
And that’s what’s so special about David Poole. He epitomizes the pure spirit of the perfect student-athlete. Morgan said it best when he gave Poole the ultimate compliment.
“I would hope that either one of my sons would grow up to be like David Poole,” he said.
Poole, who has been a student at Bulloch Academy since kindergarten, lives by two philosophies.
“I don’t let anyone outwork me,” said Poole, who also wrestles in the winter and doubles up in the spring by running track and playing soccer. “I try to do that in the classroom, in the weight room and on the field. Ever since I was little, my parents taught me Christian values and raised me in a Christian home. My faith has helped me make tough decisions throughout my life and will help me in the future.”
In the classroom, Poole is an A+ student in the school’s tough, college-prep curriculum.
“David is a great student,” said BA science teacher Diane Hathaway. “He is very mature, very respectful and very Christian. David is intellectual and is a natural leader. He is dependable and has a positive attitude. When you give an assignment in the classroom, he doesn’t whine.”
Poole, who is a member of the GISA 2008 Preseason Academic All-State team, is an Accel student who leaves BA to take an Introduction to Statistics course at Georgia Southern University.
“David is into details,” said BA teacher Tim Slater. “He doesn’t just take down notes; he wants to understand what he’s taking down and why. He asks the next question. He is very punctual and never turns things in late. You can tell he always strives to improve.
“My favorite thing about David Poole,” continued Slater, “is that he will say hello to anyone. He doesn’t care if you’re one of the so-called cool kids or not. He’s going to be friendly to you.”
In the weight room, Poole is a beast according to BA strength coach Ronnie Hodges.
“His work ethic is just tremendous,” said Hodges. “I have a workout on the board for the football players. He goes above and beyond that. For his size and his body type, he is strongest guy on the team. David has been a leader in the weight room and has helped mentor and push the younger guys. You don’t get any better than David Poole.”
“David goes about football as a business,” said Bulloch Academy head football coach Clint Morgan. “He shows up for work, works hard and then goes home. He takes a quiet, business-like approach. His work ethic is second to none.”
The 17-year old son of Russell and Lori Poole begins the final season of his high-school football career like he started it.
“David is the fullback who started off with our triple-option system,” said Morgan. “He’s been the only fullback we’ve had. We started this system when (former GSU head football coach Brian) VanGorder let it go and David Poole’s been our man ever since.”
As a freshman and in the shadow of tailback Harry Collins, Poole netted just 90 yards on 14 carries and scored twice. As a sophomore, Poole got the ball a little more as he rushed for 274 yards on 48 carries and crossed the goal line five times. Last season, he accumulated 386 yards on 61 carries in a season marred by a shoulder injury.
“People have no idea what a fullback goes through in this system unless they focus on him on every single play,” said Morgan. “He gets hit in the mouth by unblocked players on every single snap, whether he has the ball or not.”
Poole doesn’t mind if the contact or even if he gets the pigskin or not.
“I’ve got a job to do,” said Poole. “I want to do it to the best of my ability. You don’t always get the credit for everything. If everybody works together, good things will happen.”
And that’s what’s so special about David Poole. He epitomizes the pure spirit of the perfect student-athlete. Morgan said it best when he gave Poole the ultimate compliment.
“I would hope that either one of my sons would grow up to be like David Poole,” he said.
Poole, who has been a student at Bulloch Academy since kindergarten, lives by two philosophies.
“I don’t let anyone outwork me,” said Poole, who also wrestles in the winter and doubles up in the spring by running track and playing soccer. “I try to do that in the classroom, in the weight room and on the field. Ever since I was little, my parents taught me Christian values and raised me in a Christian home. My faith has helped me make tough decisions throughout my life and will help me in the future.”
In the classroom, Poole is an A+ student in the school’s tough, college-prep curriculum.
“David is a great student,” said BA science teacher Diane Hathaway. “He is very mature, very respectful and very Christian. David is intellectual and is a natural leader. He is dependable and has a positive attitude. When you give an assignment in the classroom, he doesn’t whine.”
Poole, who is a member of the GISA 2008 Preseason Academic All-State team, is an Accel student who leaves BA to take an Introduction to Statistics course at Georgia Southern University.
“David is into details,” said BA teacher Tim Slater. “He doesn’t just take down notes; he wants to understand what he’s taking down and why. He asks the next question. He is very punctual and never turns things in late. You can tell he always strives to improve.
“My favorite thing about David Poole,” continued Slater, “is that he will say hello to anyone. He doesn’t care if you’re one of the so-called cool kids or not. He’s going to be friendly to you.”
In the weight room, Poole is a beast according to BA strength coach Ronnie Hodges.
“His work ethic is just tremendous,” said Hodges. “I have a workout on the board for the football players. He goes above and beyond that. For his size and his body type, he is strongest guy on the team. David has been a leader in the weight room and has helped mentor and push the younger guys. You don’t get any better than David Poole.”
