Houston junior hits the ice and the court

Jan. 19, 2007

By Jeremiah Bartz/ Frontiersman

HOUSTON - It's fairly common for a student-athlete to participate in multiple sports at the high school level.

Occasionally, an athlete may participate in a different sports with overlapping seasons. But it's rare for someone to compete in a pair of sports that run almost simultaneously.

Unusual, but not impossible.

Those who don't believe can just ask Emily Hundley.

In her first two years at Houston High School, Hundley stayed on the ice during the winter months, as a pair of the Houston boys' hockey team.

But this year, the HHS junior, has decided to hit the court as well.

&#8220I played basketball when I was in middle school, and I stopped in high school because of hockey,” Hundley said after helping the Hawks' hockey squad post a 7-3 win over Glennallen on Saturday. &#8220But I kind of missed it.”

So now she does both.

Hundley said she practices an hour each day with each team. The Houston hockey practices normally last an hour, and the basketball squad goes for two. So when she's done with hockey, it's off to basketball.

It's exhausting, Hundley said, but she gets through it.

&#8220The first week was tough, but I got used to it,” she said.

Hundley's coaches have been understandable as she balances her work on the court and the ice.

Jason Spakousky, the head coach of the Houston girls' basketball program, said Hundley was certainly a welcomed addition to the team.

&#8220She brings that hockey mentality,” Spakousky said earlier this season. &#8220She's not afraid of the physical play.”

That was evident from the minute Hundley stepped onto the basketball court. She played fast and fearless. Hundley, a standout on the blueline for the Houston pucks squad, showed her knack for defense is not just kept for hockey. She posted a team-high seven steals in Houston's first victory of the season, a win over Galena in the Elks Showdown at Palmer High School.

Her play on the defensive side of the basketball court pretty much comes natural, Hundley said.

That's thanks to her experience on the ice.

Hundley said she relates more of what she has learned on the ice to basketball, rather than basketball to hockey. But that's basically because she's been playing hockey longer.

Hundley is regarded as one of the top defensive players on a Houston hockey squad that has dominated the small-school level throughout her playing career. Even though Hundley does not posses size - she stands at about 5-foot-2 - Hundley brings a drive to the ice.

&#8220She's small, but she's tenacious,” Houston head hockey coach Mike Styers said earlier this season.

Hundley's partner on the blueline, senior Kaleb Westfall, said in her case, appearances are most certainly deceiving.

&#8220For such a small person, she brings a lot to our team,” Westfall said. &#8220Hard work and consistency.”

Westfall said Hundley also consistently has success when going up again much larger opponents.

&#8220She can use her body and push them out,” Westfall said.

Hundley started on the ice about 12 years ago, following in the footsteps of her two older brothers.

Hockey steadily became a family sport for the Hundley clan.

Three of the five Hundley siblings played hockey at Houston High School. Her brothers James and Jason each won state titles at HHS. Hundley's mom Debbie helps keep tabs of the clock and the statistics at all of the Houston home games.

Hundley said she is not exactly sure where the future will take her. She said she may not pursue hockey competitively after she leaves Houston High, but it will always be a part of her life.

In the meantime, she's just enjoying life as a two-sport standout at Houston High.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.