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Inside the Recruitment: '16 OF Ethan Hunt commits to University of Charleston (WV)

November 16, 2015

By Chris Kemlo and PBR Staff
Ontario Scouting Director

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Ontario Inside The Recruitment: Ethan Hunt, OF

Ethan HuntEthan Hunt, OF, Regiopolis Notre Dame, 2016

The University of Charleston commit breaks down his recruiting process, and takes some time to answer questions that speak to his past, present, and future.

PBR: Why did you choose the University of Charleston?
Hunt: The University of Charleston was the best fit for me. I felt very comfortable on their campus and was very welcome. The facilities they have for the baseball program are very nice and by the fall of 2016 they will be up to date, topped off with a brand new field. The baseball program is in the process of rebuilding and I want to be a piece of that as they start from the rebuild, there is no better feeling than getting better every day.

PBR: What other schools were you considering?
Hunt: University of Bridgeport, Columbia State CC, Canton College. I toured the campuses of Bridgeport and Canton.

PBR: Where did Coach Wright first see you and how did your relationship develop with them?
Hunt: He didn’t get a chance to see me until our Toronto Mets fall trip that took us through West Virginia in the fall.  He had been following me since the Ontario Youth team tryouts in May as well through PBR Ontario website.

PBR: Who has helped you the most to get to where you are today?
Hunt: I have had a lot of great coaches for sure; Don Burns, Pat Robb, Rob Butler, Justin Picard, Mike Cyr and for the past 2 years Chris Kemlo. I would have to say though that my parents top the list. A few years ago I told them I wanted to focus on baseball year round and the only option happened to be 2 ½ hours from my house; so off we went 2-4 days a week for the last 5 years.

PBR: How has PBR Ontario helped in your role to get recruited?
Hunt: PBR provided me a professional place to direct potential coaches to so they could view my stats and provide comparisons immediately. PBR stored my data from the various showcases and games to let me compare how I had developed as a player, and it also allowed me to see honest and real data to compare myself against my peers.

PBR: What were your expectations about the recruiting process? Was it easy/difficult?
My expectation was for it to be much more different than it was. I never realized until later that coaches would be looking for specific players and player types that would best suit their program and that you don’t have to be forced into a school, there’s a school suited for everyone. 

PBR: What team do you play for in the summer and how has that helped you prepare for the next level?
Hunt: I’m entering my 3rd year with the Toronto Mets program. They play against all the top Canadian and USA teams. We play a schedule similar to that of a US college team and I had to learn the importance of balancing school and ball. Playing for the Mets at that level I quickly realized you wouldn’t be successful if I didn’t put the work in.

PBR: What plans does the coaching staff of Charleston have in store for you?
Hunt: The coaching staff at Charleston is going to give me a chance to compete for a position because they believe if you deserve the spot and work hard to earn it, you will get the chance to play. The team motto is “Graduate, Compete for Championships and Give Back to the community” and that works with what I want to accomplish.

PBR: What do you feel are the strengths about your game?
Hunt: I like to think of myself as a team 1st guy. I’m comfortable playing anywhere on the diamond, all the coaches seemed to value the versatility I can bring. Lastly, I love practice, especially seeing the result of putting the time in. 

PBR: What is your most memorable baseball moment to date?
Hunt: My most memorable baseball moment to this date would be making it to the Provincials for Little League, all the kids on that team are all still very close friends of mine and that’s still something we bring up all the time. Secondly, it would be not only competing in the Canada Cup but winning the Bronze medal against Quebec in extra innings as the closing pitcher. It is something I will never forget.

PBR: Now that you have committed to UCWV, what goals have you set for yourself in 2016?
Hunt: My goals are to get stronger, faster, and to increase my baseball knowledge so I can set myself up for success at the college level as well as my final 18U year.

PBR: Who is the toughest hitter and pitcher that you have faced in Ontario?
Hunt: Toughest hitter I have faced so far would be Max Wright of Great Lake Canadians, and the toughest pitcher I have faced would be Chase Porter of Team Ontario.

 

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