Interview by Abernathy Cochran interns and Gainesville High students Grady Vardeman and Donangelo Marshall.
Meet Cedrick Nicely! Cedrick friends call him Big Ced and he is a junior at Gainesville High School. Cedrick plays varsity basketball and football and already has multiple offers from Division 1 schools to play football. He plays defensive tackle and just recently was visited at GHS by University of Georgia head coach Kirby Smart. Ced stands 6’4 and 305 pounds and said he used to look up to Gainesville’s Deshaun Watson growing up; now Deshaun might be the one looking up to Big Ced.
Ced and the Red Elephants will be playing in the first round of the Class 6-A state playoffs on Friday (Feb. 14) against Sequoyah.
We want to thank Ced for recently spending time with us and telling us more about his life and love of Hall County.
Question: What was your favorite memory from this past football season?
Answer: “When we beat Mary Persons at home, last year it didn’t end so well, so it was nice to beat them this year.”
Q: When you graduate next year, what will you miss most about Gainesville High School?
A: “My teammates, the ones I’ve played with since freshman year, I’ll miss that the most.”
Q: What Gainesville alumni inspired you to play football the most?
A: “When I was little, I used to watch Deshaun Watson’s highlights, so I’ve always looked up to him.”
Q: What inspired you to play football over other sports?
A: “I just fell in love with football from a young age, I also play basketball, but I would always choose football over basketball.”
Q: How old are you and how long have you lived in Hall County?
A: “I’m 17 years old and I’ve lived in Gainesville all my life.”
Q: What is your favorite restaurant in Hall County, and what do you love there?
A: “ChopBlock, I love to get their lemon pepper wings.”
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be? And why?
A: “Los Angeles, I’d want to see Kobe’s memorial at Staples Center.”
Q: What advice would you give a crowd of people?
A: “Keep pushing, never put your head down, and never give up.”
Q: What is something on your bucket list?
A: “I want to go sky diving, I think that would be really fun.”
Q: Where do you see yourself in five 10 years?
A: “Just graduated college, I want to go into Sports Broadcasting and the dream is the NFL, so hopefully I can make it there.”
Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about Hall County?
A: “The community always shows up and supports us, no matter what.”
Q: What 3 words or phrases that come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
A: “Food, GRIT, Gainesville.”
Q: If you had a full-time staff member that was fully paid for, who would you choose? Chef, Housekeeper, Driver, Coach, Physical Fitness Trainer, or Nanny?
A: “100% a chef, I love to eat.”