A Chat with SFA Soccer's Senior Hailey Hunt
9/28/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - Senior Hailey Hunt was born right here in Nacogdoches before her parents decided to move to Mckinney, Texas when she was two and half years old. The Texas native, like many of you, began her soccer career at a very early age playing recreational soccer. Her father, Ron, was her coach for many years before she graduated to middle school club school. “I started at age four, so I was younger than everyone else,” said Hunt. But with her talents and father by her side she played and even started with the older kids.
In middle school, many kids are thrilled about the opportunity to play sports wearing their schools name. Hunt was no different. Hunt gave other sports like basketball and volleyball a try. She soon found out that even though she was good at them, she felt like they were not for her. “I fouled out of almost every basketball game I played. For volleyball, I didn’t like the spandex, so I just decided soccer was my best bet for me.” Hunt loved playing outdoors and the aggressiveness that playing soccer required. She liked the contact of the sport, having to fight for your possession of the ball, unlike volleyball where each team stands on their side of the net. Hunt started doing 1v1 lessons with a well-known gentleman from the Dallas area, and then tried out for the team that she would end up graduating high school with, the Solar Chelsea Club.
When it came down to choosing a college to attend, Hunt had several people to turn to for advice. Her coach at the time, Randy Shaw was pulling for her to go to SFA, as well as, both her parents, who were SFA alums. Growing up Hunt’s parents always told her she didn’t have to come here. Her mother, Maile Israelson, encouraged her daughter to make her own decision to find a new place to attend, but Hunt had her mind made up. “I loved it here. It was small and close to home, but far enough away,” explained Hunt.
Hunt’s favorite moment from her career at SFA was from freshman year in the Incarnate Word game. That game was the deciding factor for whether Stephen F. Austin would win the conference title outright or not. The score had to be a tie or a win. Hunt’s moment came when SFA was down 1-0. “I scored a goal from the top of the 18’. We tied it 1-1, the game ended and we won conference outright. As a freshman, you are so timid and scared and then to have a moment like that was so cool. It was really special.”
With three years down in the books, Hunt had one more season and then graduation. She is majoring in Health Science, but has yet to figure out what she wants to do. “Everyday, I change my mind,” laughed Hunt. “I definitely want to do some sort of coaching, whether it will be little kids or not, at least for a few years to make some extra money. I have coached A&M camp and camp here with Wally for the past three years.” She definitely does not want to stray from soccer, but has in interest in public health administration like the “Be the Match” campaign for bone marrow donations. Hunt even mentioned that she might want to real estate just like her father. Whatever her decision is, she will put her whole heart into it, and SFA will miss her.
What did you want to be growing up? I am going to have to say doctor because that’s probably what I told all my friends and family. My grandpa was a doctor, so I thought that was going to be fun to do. I took a couple nursing classes when I got here, and quickly realized that was not something for me.
Who do you think is the best singer on the team? Katie Jennings. Yes, oh my gosh that girl, She will sing at the top of her lungs on the bus and not care at all. She is okay, but she apparently with the freshman, they will sing and do little duets together and sent little videos of it to us in the team group chat. But definitely Katie, strongest most confident voice on the team.
If you could describe Wally in one word what would it be and why? “Old-school” All his mannerisms and the music we listen to. Even in the weight room, we try to listen to our own music, but then he will change it. He has a couple songs that he loves to listen to over and over, and if anyone came over to our practices they would know because we listen to the same songs over and over again. He loves to try and keep it young, light, and loose. He loves his little one-liners. He is old school trying to be young.
-SFA-
