Max Hostetter '20 Recruiting Profile

I started playing sports at the age of 5 - flag football and midget baseball.  As soon as I was “of age,” I signed up to play midget football.  Since I was always a big kid, I skipped “D” team football and went right to “C” team.  I can tell you that the midget football years were some tough years – competing against guys that were sometimes 2 years older than me, being committed at that age to “make weight” every week and “playing up” to earn a starting position.  But it was that experience very early in my life that solidified my love of the game and made me a better fundamental player.  In grade school I also wrestled and played basketball.  By the time I got to middle school, I was playing midget football, basketball and lacrosse; however, my passion for the game of football - studying the game, knowing the offense and defense, preparing my body and mind for competition, motivating the team around a common goal – has always been THE driving factor in my life. 

My desire to play varsity football in high school guided me to make smart decisions socially, do well in school and learn how to be a leader.  Over the years, these personal choices made the prospect of going to college to further my education a realistic goal and – at the same time – the possibility of playing collegiate football sparked in me the determination to get stronger, faster and have a very deliberate action plan - physically and academically - for how I was going to achieve these results. 

At this point my high school seasons have been spent mostly on crutches though slated to be the starting tight end and defensive end both sophomore and junior seasons - a broken right foot incurred at summer football camp sophomore year and a broken left ankle during the first game of my junior season.  Both years I was released to play for the post season, playoff games and contributed as a starter on both offense and defense.  Through these setbacks I’ve learned that training, lifting and therapy during times of injury (and during the off-season) not only make you stronger, but also give you the ability to recover quicker.  I’ve also learned how to be a good teammate on the sidelines while coaching my replacements in their assignments.  Despite the injuries, as a sophomore I earned varsity letters in both Football and Lacrosse and intend on doing the same as a Junior.  I am more committed than ever to have a strong senior season and show my soft hands, good footwork and speed on offense and my strength and toughness on defense. 

It is also through this adversity that I realized that I’d like to pursue an education in either Sports Management or Sports Medicine.  My time with athletic trainers, physical therapists, doctors, personal trainers and coaches allowed me to see a side of the sports “business” that very much interests me.  I hope to find a college that is a “right fit” where I can pursue my career aspirations and continue playing the sport that motivates me every day to be the best I can be – on and off the field.