LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

William Hirschfeld was nominated by a student.

"'You're too small for the defensive line,' 'You're never going to play, just switch positions,' 'You're going to get run through.' Everyone doubted, except for one person, my defensive line coach, Coach Billie. Coach Billie was the only person I needed to believe in me besides me. Why? Because he is the coach, he is the one who decides who plays. Coach Billie is the one who sees all the hard work that I put in; he is the one who makes the calls," said the student.

"Coach Billie and I met during junior year, and I instantly knew we connected. He knew my brother and my brother told me he loved him and that I would too. Initially, I was scared; my brother told me he was nice but also loud and aggressive. It wasn't until a couple of weeks into my junior year that I started liking him. I thought, man, this guy is always mad. But no, he knew what we could do, so he pushed us to do that every day, and when I started realizing that, I started to like him," said the student.

"I didn't play much or at all my junior year. I was too small, didn't have any experience, and had a lot of good players in front of me. But that didn't stop me. Coach Billie and I built an amazing connection and friendship throughout the year. He reminds me of a big polar bear. He looks so big and scary but is one of the nicest people I know," said the student. 

"Going into senior year, I wasn't going to play. I couldn't find the right position and felt lost. I never went to any ACC workouts in the summer and wasn't planning on playing. But I believed in myself. For only one reason, and that was Coach Billie. He told me to keep working and that I would get the opportunity. The first game came around, and I played. I was surprised and proud of myself for fighting for this spot for two years and being the smallest guy on the line. I had to use my speed to my advantage, and Coach Billie taught me so much because he was also a defensive lineman," said the student.

"To prove everyone wrong and that Coach Billie and I were right felt amazing. At the end of the season, I was shocked at how fast that season went. I felt like I was walking out on the field for the first time to meet him, but it was the opposite: the end. Walking off the field for the last time had to be with him. It had to be with the sweet, kind, dedicated person that he was and what I was inspired to be. This season, he taught me to push myself in football and in anything and that I can do everything. Remember, you're never 'too small' to tackle anything in life," said the student.