Janet Hill, mother of Grant Hill, says high standards must be set for youth

Jet, March 9, 1998

NBA star Grant Hill would not be the person so revered inside and outside the realm of professional sports had it not been for his parents who set high standards and spent a lot of time with him.

"Grant was told early on that he was expected to work hard, especially in school," Mrs. Janet Hill wrote in USA Weekend. "As a child, that is your primary responsibility. Athletics was No. 2; it had to be. We understood the probability that he would make it into the pros was slim to none."

So before he became a premiere NBA player, he earned a degree in history from Duke University.

And he had role models for success in his parents. Mrs. Hill is vice president of a Washington, D.C.-based consulting firm and Calvin Hill, a former Dallas Cowboys football star, is now a consultant with the team.

Mrs. Hill discussed how important it was for she and her husband to spend time with Grant as he was growing up. Mrs. Hill noted that it takes more than "quality time" to raise kids; "you have to actually spend time."

The Hills are very clear about their priorities: They once passed up dinner at the White House to stay home and watch their only child play on television.

Just as he did when he was a boy, Grant talks to his mom every day. And as busy as she may have been she was never too busy to speak to her son.

"I made a point of coming home every night to fix dinner. For 18 years his father and I never went anywhere. We worked which sometimes took us out of town, but we didn't accept social engagements that didn't involve him. We took him on trips with us."

As Grant often says his parents were strict. Mrs. Hill offered her theory on discipline.

"I believe in spanking. Today people call it child abuse and say it's illegal. Well, I'd just have to go to jail. I don't mean beating. There's a difference. Spanking is a way to get a point across. And Grant was spanked. He didn't like it but whatever he was spanked for he didn't do again."

Mrs. Hill said that she hopes youth would look at the role models that are closest to them, ones who are very accessible and can touch them every day.

"I hope your role models will be your parents, or maybe your teachers, coaches, neighbors or minister.

"We aren't challenging them to work hard at something other than perfecting their athletic stability," she added.

Mrs. Hill also said, you must have a "second parachute."

"Grant didn't decide until he was at Duke University that he would like to pursue pro athletics. And he worked very hard toward that. But he also stayed at Duke and got his bachelor of arts in history. He understood that with a Duke education he opened up many options for himself if his first parachute, basketball, collapsed."