Athlete of the Week

Montrose Senior and shortstop, Hunter Traver doesn’t remember a time when baseball wasn’t a part of his life. He is the Independent’s Student Athlete of the Week and the last of the 2015-16 school year.

“I have been playing since I was in diapers, before I can even remember. I fell in love with the game and I’m blessed to play it every day,” he said. “I don’t remember why I started playing, it just kinda (sic) happened. I just always had a bat or ball in my hand.”

His coaches, Josh Winn and Ryan Soden, must be very happy that he did. He is an asset on the Meteors’ team and scored one of the two runs that secured last year’s District Championship for Montrose. This season, Montrose’s success has continued.

“Our season has been going extremely well, I’ve (been able to) grow with the guys that are part of this family and watch them do so many great things. We are determined to win another District Championship and are willing to do whatever it takes to get there,” he said.

Traver leads his team in week 6 with a batting average of .372, nine RBI’s, 12 runs, and 16 hits. He also leads Division IV with 2 triples. The Meteors (11-1) are in second place in District II 2A with an 11-1 record and won their first playoff game against Carbondale on Friday night 15-0 in four innings. Traver scored two runs and had an RBI in the victory.

They faced Northwest Area (9-5) on Tuesday afternoon at Montrose for the second round of playoffs.

While he might not remember when or why he started playing the game, he does know why he stuck with it. “The thing I love about this game is how difficult it is. It teaches you so many things about life and how to overcome adversity.”

Baseball has provided him with many memories but there are a couple that stand out. “It’s very difficult to pick just one – either my first home run or my first time realizing that the baseball program here at Montrose is behind you 10 percent. Justin Hartman an ex-player here at Montrose was out for injury his senior year and couldn’t play in any games. On his Senior Night they let him start the first pitch at third base and then took him out. Watching this was truly inspirational and helped me realize how blessed I am to work hard and play hard each and every single day. I’m proud to be a part of the family.”

Baseball has been a huge part of his life and is the main focus now, but he played basketball for Montrose until this year, when he chose to play on a CYO team. He used the extra time to train for baseball season and focus on his school work. Outside of school, he enjoys playing in a band and just playing music, in general.

Following graduation, Traver will be heading south. “I will be attending Surry, a junior college, in North Carolina. I got a scholarship to play baseball there and I will be studying sports medicine. I will be transferring to play baseball at a bigger school after my first two years.”

Traver is part of a close family and he finds them to be his biggest support system. He includes his extended family. “I am big into family. I’m blessed to have them and I don’t know what I would do without them. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for my dad, Herb Traver, or my mom, Amber Traver. Each and every single person in my family has had a huge impact on me and made me who I am today; this includes my baseball team. We are a family and we are blessed to have each other’s backs. Coach Winn is one of the greatest men I have ever known and I couldn’t do it without him. I’ve never had anyone believe in me the way he and my family do. It’s nice to know I have them behind me in anything that I pursue.”

His father, grandfather, and coaches also serve as an inspiration. “My dad, my grandfather and my two coaches, Josh Winn and Ryan Soden, are my biggest inspirations. They all inspire me in different ways and help me be the kind of man I strive to be. It’s nice to have so many father figures in my life and I’m truly blessed.”

Traver resides in Choconut Township with his parents and younger brother, Bryson.