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Donovan Hunt: The Story Behind The Athlete
DONOVAN HUNT
The Story Behind The Athlete • Writer: Vivek Srivastava • Designer: Maddy Tabaska • Photographer: Tracey Hoover
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Donovan Hunt was Brookfield East’s star running back in the 2019 Division 2 State Championship in football, was selected for Wisconsin Football Coaches’ Association All-Star Game and has received numerous offers to play football in college. He joined the Spartans as a junior after transferring from Wauwatosa East High School.
OVERCOMING CONFORMITY IN SCHOOL Settling with average outcomes has never been an option for Donovan Hunt (12), a senior running back at Brookfield East. A true example of academic and human excellence, Hunt’s spirit for challenge is rooted in his desire to prove himself as a student.
“I always used to be placed in the lowest reading group growing up. There were three groups and I knew I could read at a higher level,” Hunt said.
At the age of ten, Hunt challenged himself by improving his reading and writing skills to the point where he felt he was on par with other students. Often times it was apparent that he was smarter than the other kids in his group and it was not helping him.
Hunt charging forward to make a play against Menomonee Falls.
Donovan Hunt (12) posing with the State Championship trophy in November 2019.
“I knew I could read at a higher level, so one day I switched the books for the groups. I took the medium book and I proved to the teacher that I could easily read it,” said Hunt. “After being constantly subjected to lower groups my whole life, I have always pushed myself to take harder classes because when I was younger I was always told to not challenge myself and be complacent with the system.”
Hunt continued this journey of academic rigor throughout high school. He recounted several instances of peers being shocked when he would enroll in higher-level classes. After taking several Advanced Placement (AP) and Honors Classes, he noticed nobody like him were in those classes.
“I have been the only black kid in an advanced class my whole life. I feel like it is because so many black kids have the same experience I did but fell inline instead of opposing it,” said Hunt. “So no matter how hard the class I would take it and challenge myself to the core because if you aren’t willing to bet on yourself no one else will.”
Taking higher-level classes sparked an interest in history and advocacy for Hunt. He highlighted several Socratic seminar-style discussions in his AP Language & Composition class that had thought-provoking conversations on historical precedent and race.
“Being in a class like AP Lang had a more aware group and it allowed for more social-cultural interactions,” said Hunt. “History shows us why things are like how they are. The underlying processes of social systems can be understood.”
As a founding member of History & News in Color, Hunt has had the opportunity to learn more about other cultures and share his interpretations of Black History. In conjunction with listening to other people’s stories, playing sports allowed him to travel all over the country. Those experiences have been really fun and you meet different people and see new elements of culture
“Getting to learn about other cultures like Hispanic and Asian has been really eye-opening. Those experiences have been really fun and you meet different people and see new elements of culture.”
BET on yourself NO ONE ELSE will.”
THE EARLY DAYS IN FOOTBALL
Hunt’s journey in football began when his mom enrolled him in a youth football league in Milwaukee when he was in third grade. He quit after one week because there was no contact involved and he did not know the kids in the league.
“Whenever I would go to the bathroom these kids would throw rocks at the beehive next to the bathroom,” said Hunt. “I used to get upset because the bees would always chase us and they would do wild stuff.”
Hunt would revisit the game when he entered fifth grade through the Jr. Raiders program. The contact opportunities and friends made all the difference.
“Playing football with them was fun. We won the championship in 8th grade,” said Hunt.
It was through Jr. Raiders he would notice Brookfield East and the depth of talent they had at a young level.
“I played on the Jr. Raiders team and that’s how I knew Brookfield East was always good.”
As Hunt continued to play he realized it was something he wanted to do all year long.
“My friends were playing football in the spring and that sounded cool, so I tried to join. After Coach Shane hit me up over text when I was in 8th grade and I joined 7-on-7.”
Hunt sporting a bucket hat back in 2015 while holding his 8th Grade Championship Trophy.
Hunt (right), tired, walking off the field after a rough game back in 6th grade.
Hunt (left) posing with a friend after practice.
Hunt and his team showing their parents their brand new trophy after winning the 8th Grade Championship Football Game.
TAKING STEPS FOR THE NEXT LEVEL Hunt would play for Milwaukee’s The Show, Wisconsin’s only nationally ranked 7-on-7 leagues. Coach Shane would elevate Hunt to a higher level as a player. Having played at the collegiate level for Indiana University, Shane introduced Hunt to a higher level of football thinking and elevated him to the next level.
“All the coaches I had up until that point were not up to par with my knowledge of football. 7-on-7 opened my eyes to the complications of football because my coaches before were teaching me the basics.”
In his freshman year when he first arrived at Wauwatosa East, he went up to a senior and began on playing him one on one in coverage as a drill. It was at that point he knew 7-on-7 had prepared him to compete at that level.
“They really helped me as a player and helped me set up recruiting,” said Hunt. “Some people have trouble with exposure and bad grades.”
Hunt credits 7-on-7 for his increase in exposure as he currently holds five collegiate Division 1 football offers. Being from Wisconsin can be detrimental for players because colleges don’t recruit the area heavily.
“We went on a team visit to Indiana and the Indiana coaches confused Minneapolis and Milwaukee because they don’t recruit in Wisconsin,” said Hunt. “I thought it was weird that he didn’t even know where the city was.”
Hunt leaping in triumph into the endzone to score against the rivals, BC Lancers.
Perhaps Hunt’s favorite story of Wisconsin being underrated in Football is when his team played against a team coached by Deion Sanders at the 7-on-7 National Tournament.
“After we played his team he said, ‘ Y’all play well, where you from’ and we said Wisconsin and he goes ‘Wisconsin? They play football in Wisconsin?.’ It’s kinda funny when we see that reaction from people because people don’t realize how underrated and disrespected our state is,” said Hunt.
The Show, and similar programs, have elevated the recruitment game for players in the Midwest.
“We get people from all walks of life and different parts of the state. Like we got people from Kenosha, Racine, and places I can’t even name,” said Hunt.
The Midwest Boom is a team in Chicago that turned Chicago into one of the top ten cites for recruitment. When they expressed interest in Hunt he immediately turned them away.
“I started playing with Shane right away and did not want to leave for a rival team,” said Hunt. “One of their coaches told me to play for them, but I didn’t want to betray my team.”
THE DECISION FOR COMING TO BROOKFIELD EAST
Hunt’s first encounter with Brookfield East would be in fifth grade when he would come with his parents to pick up his brother, a football player for Brookfield East.
“I would show up in my Jr. Raiders jersey because they would play on Friday nights and we would play on Saturday mornings,” said Hunt. “It was funny because my brother always used to tell me that I would end up going to Brookfield East, even back then.”
After leading the state in kick return yards, Hunt’s mom purchased a home in Brookfield and that is when he had to decide if he would stay at Wauwatosa East or come to Brookfield East.
He and his dad would watch every Brookfield East football playoff game that year to determine if Brookfield East was the right program.
“I remember thinking about the one team we could not beat during Jr. Raiders and it was Brookfield East,” said Hunt. “I knew Brookfield East was the better team to play for.”
Hunt would make his final decision to come to Brookfield East a week before August football practices started and immediately after AAU Nationals for the track.
“I texted Sam [Mcgath], [Michael] Poker, and [John] Champe that I was coming,”
Knowing teammates ahead of time would Hunt transition and get a feel of the team.
“I went to a track meet my sophomore year and I saw Sam [Mcgath] and he kept asking me if I was gonna end up coming to Brookfield East.”
When he came to those summer practices he was surrounded by a group of seniors who would help him transition in school.
“My senior friends gave me rides from practices and helped me transition well with their friendship,” said Hunt.
Hunt trampling over a Lancer while his eyes are on the end zone.
The football team after winning the Division II State Title in November 2019.
CREATING LASTING RELATIONSHIPS AT BROOKFIELD EAST
When asked about his most significant outcome from moving to Brookfield East, Hunt immediately highlighted the relationships he had developed.
“I would say the unexpected friendships I have are what has impacted me,” said Hunt. “If you told me two years ago that some of my friends were on the debate team I would have been shocked.”
At Wauwatosa East, Hunt was associated more with athletic kids. He would continue to maintain relationships with athletes at Brookfield East but not limiting other interactions.
Outside of his friendships, Hunt mentioned that his conversations with Coach Lehman have caused him to become a better person thanks to his good life advice.
While it is clear Hunt has had a spectacular impact on athletics at Brookfield East it is apparent that his journey as student and individual will be one that will resonate with the Brookfield community.
