Joel Hill: A Hard Worker with a Bright Future
Launch the media gallery 1 playerJoel Hill, Saint Francis senior, said he has a strong work ethic and goals. He plans to go to either Kansas State University or Fort Hays State University to get a good education, a degree, and to start a successful career.
Hill played football for the Saint Francis Indians. “I expect to to do better this year in football, although last year was good. I just expect to get better,” said Hill.
Devin Dinkel, Saint Francis assistant football coach, said Hill has a lot of natural ability and instincts on the football field. “He is a hard working guy, because he wants to win,” said Dinkel.
Other than being a great football player, Hill is an excellent cattle showman.
“I started steering heifers when I was twelve years old,” Hill said. “I have been showing them ever since. I am planning to keep my old heifers to pay for college, or to start a career in cattle.” Hill said showing cattle is more of a hobby than anything else. “The reason I show heifers is because when I’m done showing them, I breed them and they have babies I can sell and make money on,” said Hill.
He has won many Showmanship Awards throughout different shows. The last one was in Goodland on May 7, 2016 through 4-H. “I think I'm good, I guess,” he said. However, his friend Brady Dinkel, Saint Francis freshman, said he thinks Hill is one of the best at showing, because of all of his awards he has won.
Joel loves living in the country. He has a dog named Bentley and a cat in his barn. On a normal day during the summer, he wakes up at 5:20 a.m. to feed his calves, washes, and then ties them up in the barn under fans to keep them cool. Hill, before going to school, wakes up at five a.m. to do the same chores. He is usually in the barn, around 7 to 9 p.m., working with the chickens and washes his calves again before letting them out of the barn.
Hill loves going to the National Western Stock Show in Denver. “The National Western has everything from animal shows or rodeos to just huge shopping places,” said Hill. He's traveled all over the U.S. showing cattle, and he has met a ton of people along the way.
“He has competed at many shows and done very well,” said Martin Beikman, Saint Francis junior. “I think Joel has a bright future ahead of him after high school.”
