Jarvis Hall joined the Embry-Riddle men's basketball team in the fall of 1998. After sitting out his first year with the Eagles due to an injury, Hall returned the following year to help ERAU win the 2000 NAIA National Championship.
 
In Hall's three seasons with the Blue and Gold, the Eagles were 90-20, won three conference tournament and two regular season titles and made three consecutive trips to the NAIA National Tournament in Branson, Missouri.
 

Why did you choose Embry-Riddle?

As a high school basketball athlete at East Canton High School, I injured my thumb a quarter of the way through the season in my senior year. The doctor said I had broken my right thumb (shooting hand) in two places and would be out and need to wear a cast for the remainder of the season. This was a significant time in my basketball career. I was being recruited and required to have my best year to increase my chances of receiving a basketball scholarship.
 
I respectfully told the doctor I would not need the cast because I had to play my senior year. I had worked very hard to get to this stage, and I wasn't going to allow anything to get in the way of my progression and momentum. The doctor said, "I wouldn't recommend it, and in my 20 years as a practicing doctor, I never had anyone decline to wear a cast. The pain will be excruciating, your play will be hindered dramatically, and it will never heal correctly." My mother looked at me and said, "Jarvis, it's your call; you have to live with your decision." Nevertheless, I still declined the cast.
 
The next game was on a Tuesday. My doctor was right, I played with excruciating pain, and everyone would notice. I scored 12 points, which was a season-low. I was very disappointed in my play, and my mother came in and told me, "You played very well." She was very proud of me. "Channel your frustration and energy towards your ultimate goal, and don't allow self-pity to forge your play. Remember all the hard work you have put into your craft and keep your eye on the target. I believe in you; know that everything will work itself out," she said.
 
I came back that Friday and broke the school's scoring record and three-point record, with 44 points, and 8 three-pointers, and I did it in three quarters. My coach wouldn't allow me to play the fourth quarter because he didn't want me to run up the score with a broken thumb.
 
The newspaper heard about it and wrote an article on what I accomplished, "Hall Breaks Record with Wounded Wing." Word spread fast; college coaches came from everywhere to see my next game, which I scored 32 points. The Akron University coach approached me afterward and said, "I am impressed with your game, but unfortunately we have too many point guards."
 
Well unbeknownst to me, he called Coach Ridder and told him about me. Coach Ridder contacted my mother and told us his testimony about where the program started and how far they had come. He spoke with so much conviction, and every word was meaningful and genuine.
 
I went down to visit the campus, and I was very impressed with the entire program and academic institution. A positive spirit overcame me, and I knew that Embry-Riddle was where I needed to be.
 
I ended the season averaging 21 points per game and was Player of the Game in the regional All-Star game scoring 28 points.
 
Grace is how I got to Embry-Riddle, and God blessed me with an opportunity of a lifetime. I thank God for placing me in the right program to prepare me for the game of life.
 

What is your fondest memory about your time as an ERAU student-athlete?

When reminiscing on the 2000 National Championship season, the first thing that comes to mind is the buzzer going off and how the team piled up on each other, celebrating this monumental victory.
 
However, we had three games left in the regular season, and we were ranked top 5 in the nation. We had to win 1 out of 3 games to receive a bid into the national tournament. The last three games were against Webber, Florida Memorial, and Nova Southeastern, who happened to be the worst teams in our conference.
 
Well, the unexpected happened; we lost all three games and dropped in the national rankings. When we lost the last game to Nova, we walked to the locker room, wondering how our entire season pivoted so quickly. Coach Ridder came into the locker room and expressed his feelings about the game. Everyone's head was hanging low because we felt like we had failed the program, families, fans, coaches and ourselves.
 
There were ten seconds of silence, and Coach Ridder asked, "Does anyone have anything to say?" Kyle Mas and Yon Price shared their thoughts. After they finished, I said, "Sometimes losses can be the fuel for a major comeback; we need to remember this pain and channel it towards the rest of the season. We can feel sorry about ourselves and give up, or we can decide to rise to the occasion." The same thing my mother told me when I broke my thumb came back full circle to help us rally back on our feet.
 
We later went on an 8-0 run to win the 2000 NAIA National Championship. It was one of the greatest comebacks we ever experienced.
 

Who had the most significant influence on you during your athletic career?

Coach Ridder had the most significant influence on me at Embry-Riddle. I grew up in a single-parent home, and I would naturally reach out to male role models to help guide my path. Coach Ridder took the baton when I got to Embry-Riddle and helped build upon my foundations with his philosophy and leadership skills.
 
He led by example and taught us with so much passion. He cared about the well-being of every student-athlete's growth and development. Coach Ridder understood his purpose and knew he needed to mold us into men and women of character, integrity, and faith.
 
Coach Ridder understands he is held accountable for everyone who steps into his program and takes it very seriously. He comes to work every day with an immense drive for success, and his energy is contagious. He has a way of making everyone play and live at his or her highest level.
 
As a husband and a father, Coach Ridder was a great man to learn from and emulate. He was very involved with his children's activities, and everywhere he went, they would follow. Coach Ridder would mention his wife, Mrs. Ridder, anytime he would give his testimonial and shared his story with others. He acknowledges his wife as the greatest support and the source for his success.
 
Coach Ridder's accomplishments over his tenure at Embry-Riddle are paramount, and the seeds he has sown into the program are priceless. Salute to Coach Ridder's legacy and thank you, Coach, for helping me see what life is truly all about.
 

What do you remember most vividly about your time at ERAU?

The overwhelming support I got from ERAU is what I remember the most. ERAU always had my back and helped me transition through significant setbacks in my life.
 
In my freshman year, I fractured my knee on the last day of conditioning. I didn't have time to see the doctor because we had a flight to catch two hours later to an exhibition trip to Europe. When we arrived back home, I went for an x-ray, and the doctor told me I fractured my knee, and he could do nothing because the scar tissue had already formed.
 
The coaching staff decided to redshirt me my freshman year. Talk about devastation, I just got over a broken thumb, and now I am out for the entire season. The training team worked with me every day and was eager to get me back to full play. They pushed me more than I could push myself, and when I didn't believe in myself, they believed in me. They took their job very seriously. I have never had such support throughout my basketball career.
 
It took me two months to get to back to playing status, and two weeks after, I fractured my knee again during practice. The training team was right there with me, and we had to start rehabilitation all over again. Another two months of rehab, and when I went home for summer break, I fractured my knee one more time. I had to go for surgery, and the doctor told me I shouldn't have any more problems because the fractured piece chipped off.
 
When I came back to Embry-Riddle, we started rehabilitation one last time, and the same energy the training team started with was the same energy they gave me after the three injures. Salute to a program that gets it, everyone plays a significant role, from the janitor services, academic faculty, coaching staff to the training department.
 
That same year, I lost my sister Jasmine in a car accident, and the year after, I lost my brother Javis who was murdered and robbed. Embry-Riddle was there for me and became my family away from home. Talk about a first-class program. Thank you for taking my life seriously and providing the necessary moral and spiritual support during difficult times.
 

What would you say were your most outstanding athletic and academic accomplishments during your time at ERAU?

My most significant athletic accomplishment is when I was acknowledged as the hardest working athlete in the Embry-Riddle Athletic program in 2001. Being a starter all my life and then being the backup point guard was a significant transition. It was tough to go from an all-star player to a systematic role player. Coach Ridder, Coach G, and Coach Graham would always emphasize that we must play unselfish and play our roles to be a championship team.
 
When we would practice against the starting five, the secondary team would win many times. I came to realize we had a team full of starters, and for us to get better, we had to make each other better. It suddenly wasn't about me anymore, and my mindset transitioned to working hard to make my team better.
 
I would come to the gym an hour earlier before practice and stay an hour later after practice. I would work out on the weekends and do whatever I could to improve the level of my play. I had so much to accomplish and overcome, and with injuries, I felt I had to catch up. I told myself, "I will not be outworked, on or off the court." The gym became my haven to focus and release the tension I had built up over the years.
 

Tell us a little bit about what you're doing now

Currently, I hold my Series 7, Series 66, and Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor licenses and work in the Financial Advisory services.I earned my MBA in Finance at Rollins College in 2012, and soon after was brought on by Charles Schwab as a Relationship Specialist for two years. From there I joined TD Ameritrade as a Senior Financial Consultant and worked there until November 2020. I am currently working for Fisher Investments as an Investment Counselor in Tampa, Florida. In my spare time, I help run a side business called Lurilux where we design and build barbecue grills, fire-pits and outdoor décor. I am also working on a spiritual podcast and writing a book on Transition. I am excited about my next season in life, and with the foundation Embry-Riddle has provided me I am confident this will be my best.
 

What are some lessons you learned at ERAU that served well in your life after college?

•   Show Gratitude
One of the biggest lessons I learned at Embry-Riddle is to show gratitude and genuine appreciation. When someone takes the time to support you, it's essential to make sure they know you care and are thankful for their kind deeds. I remember Coach Ridder always giving a small token of appreciation gift to anyone who supported the program. He made sure they knew we wouldn't be here without their contribution, time, and support. Gratitude and thanksgiving is a vital behavior we must all obtain.
 
•   Remain Coachable
I see so many people in my corporate and personal life who are not coachable. Always be open to constructive feedback, and don't get defensive when you're corrected. The way others perceive you is different from how you perceive yourself. As you enter the workforce or start a business, be quick to listen, ask questions and understand how you can better someone with your skillset or product. Don't allow success to make you arrogant, prideful, or egotistical; always seek mentorship to help you play the game of life at your highest level.
 
•  Live with no regrets
We can't create time! We have one shot at life, and every decision we make is vital to our growth or digression. Every day we must ask ourselves, "What have we done to get better and help others?" We must find our purpose in life and dial into it. Set goals, sow seeds, be responsible and take no shortcuts. In due time, we will reap our harvest. Our hard work, sacrifice, and disappointments will not be in vain.
 
•   Trust in God
Disappointment is inevitable, it's a part of life; understand God has the final say.
 

What advice do you have for ERAU's current student-athletes?

I know many of you missed this season and weren't able to play. I know it is very frustrating watching others on the court and questioning 'why not us?' The game didn't stop. More matches are coming. You will get more wins with the great coaches you have. You need to be prepared for future play and be ready to adapt to anything. Understand your strengths and weaknesses as a team and work on them. Have personal goals, team goals, and embrace togetherness. Embry-Riddle's story is an accumulations of all of our stories. I demand excellence from you and look forward watching you etch your story in this wonderful manuscript we all have been blessed to be a part of.
 
Salute to my former teammates! A brotherhood that will last forever! God be with you and your families!
 
-Jarvis Hall aka Vito, Enrique, Automatic