Classroom Champion: China Spring senior Dean Hannah excels on and off the field

WACO, Texas (KWTX) - Few high school athletes have seen success on the field like China Spring senior Dean Hannah has over his four years in school.

The multi-sport athlete has been apart of two state champion teams with the cougars in football and baseball. But to go along with his success on the diamond the two-time all-state baseball player is also accomplished in the classroom, sitting at a 3.8 GPA.

“Just day one my parents have just installed, no matter how smart you are really school is just about effort,” said Hannah. “And just putting all your effort into it. Time out of the classroom too. Just in your room or wherever, just putting in extra work.”

“I’ve known Dean’s family for a long time, and I think he’s gravitated to taking a little bit from mom, a little bit from dad and kind of making his own way in the sports world and taking it into the classroom,” said China Spring head baseball coach Cory Beckham. “And obviously you can see that there is excellence behind that.”

Dean is also a part of the PALS program at China Spring. Mentoring younger China Spring students. And the star baseball player volunteers with Challenger Little League program. Something he has done since his freshman year.

“I think they enjoy baseball a lot more than we do,” said Hannah. “But it’s fun to see their smiles and them having fun and all the fans that come out to support them.”

Dean plans to attend the University of Louisiana-Monroe on a academic and athletic scholarship to play baseball. He plans to major in Kinesiology, with hopes to one day go into sports therapy.

“My mom actually did sports training,” said Hannah. “She showed me a little bit, bits and pieces of it. And just taking care of the body and understanding how my body works and how other people’s body works. And so I can give people a better, healthy lifestyle and just anybody around me.”

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