sportsleader

ATHLETIC ABILITY
West Sioux junior Hunter Dekkers
is most well-known for his strong
left arm, but during the 2018 state
playoffs he showed he is capable of
running the ball as well. He finished
the year with 574 rushing yards,
including 122 in a state championship
game victory for the Falcons.
He has been invited to participate in
the Elite 11 Regionals this spring.
their football and
training knowledge
to maximize
their ability. Participants
are taught
position-specific
and athletic performance
drills
designed by some
of the top NFL
players and sports performance specialists in America.
Just getting an invite to the Elite 11 regional
competitions indeed makes a player elite. There are
14 regionals this year. Competitors will try to earn
their way to the Elite 11 finals — a three-day event
that includes on-field drills, routes on air, classroom
instruction and off-field development. Since 2016,
the camp has been covered by the NFL Network in a
YouTube series.
Eleven of the past 12 quarterbacks who have
won the Heisman Trophy have attended the Elite
11 finals or an Elite
11 regional. Fifteen of
the top 20 passers in
the National Football
League in 2017 attended
the Elite 11 finals or
an Elite 11 regional.
“The director asked
me for my e-mail and
sent me an invite,”
Dekkers said. “I don’t
know how they found
out about me. I really
don’t know a whole
lot about it yet, but I’m
a big fan. I’ve watched
all the seasons and all
the episodes of it.”
West Sioux football
coach Ryan Schwiesow
was not surprised
Dekkers got invited.
“It is one of the most elite and well-known competitions
in the country, but I wouldn’t say I’m
surprised at all because of the level of talent Hunter
possesses,” Schwiesow said. “I am surprised just
because it’s such a small school and smaller schools
aren’t generally asked to be a part of things like this,
but there is no question the talent is there.”
NUMBERS DRAW EYES
Dekkers has been the signal-caller on consecutive
state championship teams at West Sioux. He split
time at quarterback as a freshman, throwing for 951
yards and nine touchdowns with three interceptions
that year. As a sophomore the lefty was fifth in the
state in all classes in passing yards with 2,396. He
had 33 TD passes and just five interceptions.
Last season Dekkers led all classes in passing with
3,641 yards, 614 more than his nearest competitor.
He threw 48 TD passes and 10 interceptions while
completing 61 percent of his throws. Dekkers, who
stands 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, rushed for 574
yards. In the Class 1A state championship game he
threw for 391 yards and five TDs and rushed for 122
yards and a score.
“His arm strength is his best asset, no doubt,”
Schwiesow said. “He can throw the ball 76 yards in
the air. There are a lot of kids who have good accuracy
and good touch, but can you stand on the right
hash and throw a 15-yard out to the left hash? That’s
a next-level through, and Hunter makes that throw
all the time.”
MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS
Dekkers will be involved in the St. Louis regional,
which will be held on April 14.
“I’m just going to keep lifting and working hard,”
he said. “I’m not exactly sure how all this all works,
but I have the videos and I’m really excited. I know
I’m going to have to study coverages and know what
to read besides just throwing the ball.”
Dekkers said while he is known as a big kid who
can throw the ball where he wants it to go, he is a
student of the game as well.
“I watch a lot of film,” he said. “I’d like to think I
see the field well.”
Schwiesow said Dekkers competed in a similar
style of competition called Air Attack last year in
Sioux Falls, SD. Dekkers won that competition.
Dekkers is not getting too far ahead of himself.
22 THE SPORTS LEADER | JANUARY 2019