Mount Dora High School graduates Colton and Dalton Dial have worked their way up from apprentices to lineworkers, which is typically a five-year process. Both brothers are twins and grew up together in the Central Florida region. Graduates of Mount Dora High School’s class of 2017, the brothers played on the Hurricanes’ football team.

(Colton left and Dalton right, This photo was taken on their birthday on October 22th, 2022 when the boys were down responding to Hurricane Ian in Lee County. Note the amount of destruction. Nearly every utility pole was knocked down. They would assist for weeks in getting power back to thousands of residents.)

After school was over, the brothers began to figure out what they wanted to do for a living. They had a few family friends who were involved with energy companies, and a brother-in-law who was also involved. Over the course of the next few years, the brothers attempted to get into Duke Energy for their apprentice program. It took around 2 1/2 years, but eventually, the brothers were able to make it.

“We were always really close our entire lives. No matter if it was class, football, or life, we always have had a close connection. He’s my buddy, and I am his buddy. We are like best friends, so the dynamic is great between us,” says Colton.

(Colton Dial at the 2022 Lineman Rodeo as an apprentice climbing up a utility pole.)

That dynamic will help the brothers as they get set for the Duke Energy Lineman Rodeo games this weekend in Winter Garden. The twins will be joining more than 70 apprentices, seven lineman teams, and one senior team that will be tested on job-related events, including equipment repair, pole climbs, and mystery events designed to simulate unexpected challenges experienced on the job. Participants are judged on speed, agility, technique, and safety procedures. The top teams will advance to the International Lineman’s Rodeo to compete against lineworkers from around the world.

(Dalton Dial pictured and his twin brother Colton are both graduates and former football player for Mount Dora High School.)

“It’s a very rewarding career. We had the opportunity to go down to Pine Island after Hurricane Ian came through. Every pole on the island was down, there was devastation you wouldn’t believe. That is where we came into play. We worked hard with other companies all coming together. To see people’s faces light up as they see the power come back on is a very rewarding part of the job. Some people are without power for days or weeks at a time. It makes you feel like you are making a difference,” says Colton.

There are four events that the brothers will compete in. One of those includes climbing up a pole with an egg and making sure it doesn’t break. Another competition is the hurt lineman rescue, which involves strapping a rope around the hurt lineman and bringing him down safely. Two other events are mystery events that the crews learn right before the event.

(Dalton Dial holds an award that he received during the 2022 Duke Energy Rodeo.)

“Lineworkers participate in these rodeo competitions to continually refine their skills and ensure they are working at the highest level of safety and customer service. Safety is Duke Energy’s No. 1 Priority, and every event demonstrates lineworkers’ dedication to their jobs, peers – and in this case, brothers – and customers,” says Audrey Stasko with Duke Energy.

The twin brothers are also representing Lake County. The lineman field is an incredibly rewarding field to go into. While the work can be grueling at times, the brothers are showing many students in Lake County that this can be the right path. While it may not be the path for everyone, for Colton and Dalton, they feel that this is the right place for them.

The competition takes place on Saturday, March 2nd at 7:15 am. If you would like to attend, the address is 452 East Crown Point Road in Winter Garden, Florida, 34787.