It was the fall of 2014 and Jeff Hannah drove that familiar path around Gardendale High School. His eyes grew damp as he made a right on Main Street. He couldn’t believe what those tear-filled eyes had just seen.

Hannah, a former college football player at Samford and UAB, was a deputy for the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office when his wife, Jeannine, told him to pursue his passion—training young athletes.

It wasn’t easy for Hannah to retire from the sheriff’s office after 12 years of service, but a quiet voice and a pealing message changed everything.

Chik-fil-A, that’s what he wanted for lunch that afternoon before he got off the phone with Jeannine. “The Lord told me ’No, you’re going to go get Sushi Village,’ and I thought that was kind of odd,” said Hannah of his lunch outing. “I always listen. Whatever he (God) tells me to do, I just do it.”

And so he did; he walked out of the Gardendale restaurant dining on his usual egg roll. Hannah, a man battling that laboring stay-put-or-jump-forward war within himself, cracked open a fortune cookie and read: “In three months you will change your career.”

The following day, Hannah turned in his badge and began filling out retirement papers. He never expected his answer to come quite so directly.

His gym—10-41 Strength & Conditioning—has now been open for a full year in Kimberly. Although his doors are open to anyone looking for a gym home, Hannah specializes in training athletes looking for a boost in performance.

Like an artist shapes a city skyline, Hannah builds a better athlete; always from the inside out.

“If they can up their bench press five or 10 pounds, that’s good but that’s not what it’s about. It’s about teaching them the life skills to achieve things when it gets hard, so I think that’s been a blessing for us,” said Hannah.

“I want them to contribute in society, not just worry about how fast their feet are,” he continued as he barked out orders to his next appointment—former Cullman defensive tackle Brady Wix.

The Bearcat alum is scheduled to report to Lindsay Willson College in Kentucky when he coils into a three-point stance in the 4,000-square-foot facility on Stouts Rd. in Kimberly. Under the watchful eyes of Hannah and his physical therapist, Courtney Green, Wix waits for the cadence and explodes off the line, one, two, three more times as Hannah thunders out orders to “Create a new line of scrimmage!”

Wix, now in his 16th week of an offseason regiment with Hannah, is recovering from a hamstring injury that looks more and more like a distant memory. Hannah, a former all-state defensive end at Gardendale in the early 90’s, studies Wix’s final rep and illustrates: “That looks so much better,” a wicked smirk stretching across his face.

Wix is one of roughly 75 high school and college-age athletes that train at 10-41 Strength & Conditioning. He, like several others, has worked under the tutelage of Hannah in preparation of a collegiate career.

Cole Garrison, an offensive lineman from Clay-Chalkville who signed with Appalachian State; Cru Birdyshaw, an offensive lineman from Walker who signed with Southern Miss. and Wix who signed with Lindsey Wilson College are just a few 2016 football prospects that have seen improvement on Hannah’s watch.

But it’s not just the physical aspects Hannah looks to sharpen in his workshop. The former two-way player with the Birmingham Steeldogs knows the process of playing Division I college sports and aims to ready his members for the challenges that surely await them.

“Coaches in the recruiting realm really look at character, that’s a big deal for them and if your character is lacking, they might pass you up for someone else,” said Hannah.

Garrison, who trained with Hannah for two years while playing at Clay-Chalkville, saw vast improvement during his time at 10-41 Strength & Conditioning. He gained 40 lean pounds from his first visit to his last while increasing his deadlift by 280 pounds and his bench press by 115 pounds.

“(Hannah) definitely puts an emphasis on being respectful,” said Garrison. “He makes sure that when someone leaves his gym, they’re a better person than when they came.”

“I know it had a very positive impact on me and I’m not certain I would be where I am if I had not worked with him.”

After Wix finished his hour-long session with Hannah, he peeled himself off the green astro turf lining the back quarter of the Kimberly gym before consulting with Green, his physical therapist, about the progress she’s seen.

“These workouts are college-like, so it’s already preparing me for the physical side of college for sure,” said Wix as he opened the door and stepped into the mid-summer heat.

Erik Harris is the Sports Editor of The North Jefferson News. Email him at njnsports@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @jeharris2.