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Copan’s Aaron Hunt – Athlete of the Month Presented by Matt Spence State Farm
- Updated: June 6, 2019
By Rachelle Rogers
It takes a specific type of athlete to do the pole vault, much less to want to make it their main event. It takes a gutsy person to want to run full speed with a large stick in their hands and use that stick to launch themselves 14 feet in the air. It takes athletic talent, mental toughness, and a quick reset button when something goes wrong to get back out there and do it again.
Copan High School has such an athlete in Aaron Hunt, who began pole vaulting when he was a seventh grader. Emboldened by his older sister who was also a pole vaulter, Aaron knew this was something he wanted to try.
“Just growing up watching my sister pole vault was really cool to me and I wanted to follow in her footsteps,” states Hunt.
As a senior, Hunt has now won his second state championship and beat both his personal record and his school record by clearing 14 feet. He was not satisfied and kept pushing himself and took fourth place at the Meet of Champions with 14 feet 3 inches. He was beat only by 5A and 6A competitors. Meanwhile, Copan is a Class A school.
“He’s by far one of the hardest workers that I’ve had the opportunity to coach here at Copan,” says head coach Shane Page. “He’s a very humble kid, consistently in the weight room more than any kid, he believes in being a well-rounded athlete.”
Crediting his sister and his dad for his success in the pole vault, Hunt says his father never misses a meet or an opportunity to carry his poles for him. He has a large family support system in Copan.
“My biggest role model is my family. I have a lot of older cousins and aunts and uncles that are around and went to Copan schools all their lives. Being around them, all my life has helped me be a good student and good athlete.”
Being disciplined in everything he does is important to Hunt as he also plays basketball and baseball, but sports alone do not define this student athlete. He is involved in student council, a member of the National Beta Club and is Valedictorian of his graduating class. He is currently preparing to go to Beta Nationals and will be attending Emporia State University to get a degree in Biology.
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