In the Hunt

Tony Hunter

Former Minnesota State linebacker Tony Hunter stopped by to check in with us the other day.

Hunter, a Kansas City, Mo., native who played for the Mavericks from 2005-08, will complete an undergraduate degree in athletic training in the spring of 2011. He totalled 147 tackles in 29 games during the course of his three years as a defensive stalwart for MSU.

Hunter spent this summer interning with the Green Bay Packers and we asked him a few questions about his experience with the Green & Gold.

MavBlog:   How is it that you ended up with the Packers and how long did it last?

TH:  “Our athletic trainer here at MSU,  Jeff Chambers, helped me get in with them. He knows one of their orthopaedic doctors, put in a good word and it went from there.  I was with the team in Wisconsin from July 26 until August 22

MavBlog:   What were your responsibilities during the course of camp?

TH:  Basically I worked as an athletic trainer.  Taping, providing preventative measures, wrapping.  Therapeutic modality treatments and assisting with rehabilitation programs.  Then, of course, we’re there to provide first aid response during practice.  I also assisted doctors during game day.

MavBlog:   Game day?  So you had a chance to work some games.  How did that go for you?

TH:  Yes, it was great.  I went to a home game vs. Cleveland and traveled with the team for an away game in Seattle.   We took a charter charter for the game vs. the Seahawks, stayed in a five-star hotel in downtown Seattle off of University Ave.

MavBlog:   How would you describe your experience with in working with NFL players?

TH:  It was overwhelming, but great. The hours are long, but I appreciated all the opportunities that they gave me.

MavBlog:   Do you think your background, in which you played college football, gave you an advantage in this role as an athletic trainer?

TH:  It really did and does.  I think it gives me a little bit of an edge – especially in understanding the football culture with my football background and experience. But the players treated me well and I really enjoyed working with them.  I got to know Donald Driver, Al Harris, Nick Barnett and A.J. Hawk.

MavBlog:   Can you tell us how the internship experience benefited you specifically?

TH:   I think when you experience something different of this nature, it’s really an opportunity to grow as a person and professionally.  To see how things work at the professional level, what the hours are like, the intensity, how the business aspect of athletic training works at that level, that will help make me better on a number of different level.  It was a chance to network, see the different things that they do clinically-wise, athletic training operations, etc.  Lot’s of little things are different. You have the ability to provide X-Rays and MRI’s on site.  The team doctors are right there, on site. You get a feel to see if it is something that you’d like to do, and I did.

I also found that the staff with the Packers was great…..Pepper Burris, Kurt Fielding, Nate Weir and Brian Engle all treated me as a certified ATC, as a bonifide part of the staff.  Right from the get-go, they said to me that what ever you’ve learned, you’re welcome to use it here. Lot of responsibility, but also accountability.

MavBlog:  So what’s next in store for you, Tony?

TH: I have a year of school left, then my goal is to either do a seasonal intern with a professional football team or go on to grad school to get a master’s degree. But, I’m open to both.

MavBlog:  Thanks for stopping by, T.  It's great to be a Maverick!