It’s finally spring – Northwestern students are happier, Sheridan Road is free of parkas and baseball season has started! We talked to third baseman Reid Hunter about what he’s excited about for the upcoming season and his life as a student athlete.
What are you excited about this season?
We’re getting a new field actually and it’s supposed to be finished in the next few weeks. We haven’t played on it yet so we’re really excited. It’s a state of the art facility and we’re looking forward to showing people what we’re really about!
Now that it’s officially baseball season, how many hours per week do you put in?
I would say right now we spend 30-40 hours a week playing baseball but we’re gone anywhere from 4-5 days a week with traveling.
What are the team’s strengths?
I think being able to rally around each other and have each other’s backs because it really is a long season and a lot of things happen that are unexpected and it’s important to be there for each other. At a school like this where the academic side of things take its toll of guys, it’s important for people to pick each other up.
What else are you involved in on campus?
I’m also on the executive board for NU for Life, a program geared towards the professional development of student athletes.
How do you balance baseball, school and everything else?
You have to balance it or else you’re going to get overwhelmed with one piece of it. I think it’s very important to understand what comes first and to prioritize school, baseball and social life. You need to know your limits with each facet of the equation, and I think it’s important to give all three pieces of that attention.
Favorite baseball team (besides the Cats!)
My favorite team is the Cubs because I was a huge Cubs fan before coming here, but the fans and the stadium and the atmosphere are incredible. I also think there’s a lot of young talent in the program and I think they’re going to be a fun team to watch in the coming year.