Cat Gonzales
Photography & Social Media Editor
A husband, father, coach and mentor: These are only a few words to describe the Head Women’s Soccer Coach Adam Hunter. After growing up and attending high school in Augusta, he came to Butler, then moved on to Newman University after his two years in El Dorado.
In 1998, Hunter started teaching and coaching at Dodge City for the men’s and women’s soccer teams. In 2007, Butler opened a full-time position for the women’s soccer team.
“It was an opportunity for [my wife and I] to move back closer home and coach a good program like Butler, so we were able to return to where our parents are and coach at one of my alma maters,” Hunter said.
Since 1998, Hunter’s first job was coaching young soccer players even before it was a reality for him. After volunteering during his high school years as a little league coach, he is now turning his dream into a profession, now 21 years strong.
“For the first 10 years, I coached the men’s and women’s and when I was able to come to Butler just coaching the women’s side,” Hunter said. “While I was coaching the men’s and women’s team, I seemed to have more success on the women’s side. I think a big part was that I was able to take my players that I was teaching in high school and have them immediately then play for me in college.”
In 2011, Butler, for the first time advanced to a national tournament. But in 2018, after just missing the 2017 NJCAA National Tournament, sophomores brought the team right back to the top.
“In 2017, we got beat by Cloud County, and we missed the tournament and now the realization hits you like ‘okay, are we going to be good enough to go back?’” Hunter said. When’s the next tournament that we will get too or if will we ever get to another final four? Can we win a national championship? So that was very rewarding to know that the quality of the program can withstand some adversity.”
Hunter has touched many lives on and off the field, and his players have touched his own life just as much. Former Butler defender Brooklyn Barclay who is currently studying pre-medicine and biology at Kansas State University weighed in on Coach Hunter’s impact and legacy.
“Coach Hunter brings a certain amount of intensity to training and games that I have never seen from another coach before,” Barclay said. “Some people see it as harsh… Coach taught me how to be tough, mentally and physically. To meet challenges head on and to not be intimidated or back down. He didn’t just grow me as a player, but as a person. I cannot thank him enough for his many years of influence on my life, and I respect the heck out of him.”
Hunter is best known for influencing players and giving them the step in the right direction. Former Butler midfielder Mel Baca is currently studying kinesiology at Southwestern Christian University.
“You can tell coach has been doing this for a while now,” Baca said. “I have never met a coach like him. He has passion for this game and when it is game day, it’s strictly business… I instantly knew when he introduced himself to me as a freshman that I wanted to go because of his success and how other players talked about him… He brought the greatness out of me, and I couldn’t be more thankful. Coach Hunter made me realize how lucky I am to be playing the sport that we both loves. Not only did he impact me on the field but even off the field. He has shaped me into the person I am today, and I thank him for giving me the opportunity to play the game that I love and helping me find a school and coach that share the same passion that we both do.”