Athlete of the Week: 10 questions with Hunter Lewis, Loyola softball

Hunter Lewis, a Northwestern commit, is a starting pitcher and designated hitter for the Ramblers. The Highland Park resident was All-State selection and the conference player of the year last season.

1. Do you have any pregame rituals or superstitions?

Usually if there’s a home game, I will just go to the trainer and get some heat on my arm. But something I do before every game is write in this mini journal that my club coach got me. After my pitching warmups and before we go on the field, I write down what’s working and what’s not working and just some of my thoughts. Then let it go and go play.

2. Why is Northwestern a good fit for you?

The coaches and the atmosphere just immediately felt like family when I went on my visit. I went on a visit to Stanford as well and when I got back, it was not really close for me. I really enjoyed Northwestern and think it’s really great that they are such a good team in the Chicagoland area.

3. What would be your dream job?

I really want to be an elementary school teacher or a child-life specialist in a children’s hospital. Those are the two jobs I really want to do. I really like working with kids. I like teaching kids, I like coaching them. I always thought my elementary teachers had a big impact on me. And also child-life specialists in hospitals, I think they are super important, and honestly underappreciated.

4. What is your first memory of playing softball?

My first memory was probably in rec league Highland Park, Northbrook softball and my team won that championship game, I think. That’s the probably the first one. I think I was probably in second grade.

5. When did you know that softball was your game?

I think from a really young age I really enjoyed it. My mom played softball and my dad played baseball, and my brother played baseball, so we were totally that kind of family. But I think over COVID I realized I wanted to stick with it and play it in college. I played soccer as well, and when COVID hit, my soccer program shut down but my softball team kept going, so I stuck with softball and never looked back.

6. If you could try a new sport, what would it be?

Either volleyball or ice hockey. I have some friends who have played ice hockey and I never even knew there were girls doing that, so I think that is really cool. And volleyball, I just really love the sport but I never ended up actually playing it.

7. What is your favorite thing to do off the field?

I really like hanging out with my friends, going on drives, listening to music, all of that. Just to decompress. My friends will drive hours and not get bored, just listen to music and talk.

8. If you are in Walgreens with a couple of bucks, what are you buying?

I am going to buy probably a Celsius energy drink and maybe some Sour Patch Watermelon. (Which flavor of Celsius?) It’s this one called Retro Vibe, but I also really like the apple-pear one.

9. What is something people don’t know about you?

Maybe that I’m pretty good at crafts. I used to do a bunch of crafts when I was younger, making a bunch of things. When I have the time now, I’ll still draw, paint, find something to make.

10. What your personal and team hopes and expectations for this season?

Coming off of last season, we ended super well. It was the first time our team got to supersectionals in a long time, and with that momentum, I’m kind of hoping to do the same thing and maybe take it further and go down state. We did lose three super important pieces of our team who were seniors, but from how we look and how we’re practicing right now I think we can totally do it.

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