#5 - Kurt Hunt

Throughout the decades, Kurt Hunt has earned distinction as an elite soccer player. A Vermont native, Hunt was a four-year starter and captain at North Country Union High School (DIV I), where his leadership, playmaking, and defensive dominance earned All-Metro Conference honors and eventual induction into both the individual and team categories of the school’s Hall of Fame. He also starred with Vermont’s Nordic Spirit Soccer Club, serving as captain and starter on squads that won multiple Vermont state and New England championships, further cementing his reputation as a fierce and reliable competitor.

At Castleton University (DIV III), Hunt became the backbone of the Spartans’ defense. A four-year starter and two-time captain, he guided his team to two North Atlantic Conference championships, NCAA tournament appearances, and an Eastern College Athletic Conference tournament bid. Playing center back, Hunt was known for his relentless aggressiveness, aerial strength, and unmatched throw-ins of nearly 50 yards that created unique scoring opportunities. His greatest impact, however, came through communication and control of team tactics; skills that kept his team organized and cohesive, and made him a true leader on the field. Hunt’s playing career extended well beyond college. Selected to the All-Army Men’s Soccer Team in 2009, he helped secure championships against rival service branches and was named one of the top 11 players in the U.S. Military, earning selection to Team USA and competing in worldwide competition. For more than a decade, he has remained active in semi-professional soccer while also contributing as a captain, assistant coach, and talent scout for All-Army and Team USA programs.

Off the field, Hunt has dedicated himself to service and leadership in the U.S. Army, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and serving as an aviation officer and helicopter pilot in multiple leadership positions. Recognized as one of the top 1% of Army aviation officers, he leads with the same commitment and resilience he brought to the pitch. Today, he also gives back to youth athletics. With more than 20 years of coaching experience, he currently serves as head coach within the Tidewater Sharks Soccer Club, youth baseball, and is a leader in other community organizations. Recognized by Hall of Fame coaches Jose Batista and John Werner, he embodies the qualities of a Hall of Fame athlete: disciplined, fearless, and committed to team success. He remains dominant on the field, influential in the locker room, and committed to building the future of the game and its players. Kurt is a proud husband, committed to his wife Jenny, and father to their two boys, Henry (11) and Levi (7). He strives to compete and lead at the highest levels not only for personal excellence, but to make his family proud and to instill in his sons the values of discipline, courage, humility, and a relentless work ethic that define both his military service and his soccer career.