If you’re a senior at Victor, most likely you’ve heard the name Hunkovic. Maybe you’ve seen him filling up his Nalgene or heard your friends talk about him at lunch. Despite the constant circulation of his name, many do not know who he is or had him for a teacher or coach. 

For those who haven’t heard of him, Mr. Hunkovic is a social studies/government teacher as well as being a head coach for the cross country/track team. I sat down with him last week asking about his teaching and coaching experience.

Throughout his life, Hunkovic had been surrounded by people in the teaching profession who made positive impacts on his life. These experiences influenced his decision to be a teacher while deciding his profession. His interest in history and family connections to significant historical events lead to Hunkoivc majoring in history and secondary education at SUNY Geneseo. 

After college, Mr Hunkovic student taught with the Junior High teacher Mr Lawley. He filled in as a substitute at Victor and made it his goal to become a full time teacher here. A few years after teaching at Irondequoit, Red Creek, and Marion, Mr Hunkovic finally found his way back to the Senior High in the Fall of 2012. 

While at Geneseo, Mr. Hunkovic competed in Division III Cross Country and Track. His main events were the 1600 and 800 during track clocking impressive times of 4:07 and 1:52 respectively.

While he does not run competitively anymore, Mr Hunkovic is still involved in the running community as a coach. He is the head coach of the cross country team and the assistant boys coach for outdoor track. His hope is to instill the love of running like his former coach did with him. 

One of his favorite coaching memories was the boys 4×800 relay placing 8th at Nationals in 2017. “It was really cool because it was four guys who worked collectively towards a common goal.”

Outside of teaching and coaching, you might see Mr. Hunkovic paddle boarding on Irondequoit Bay or catching live music shows. He also enjoys cooking, his specialty being omelets. “Breakfast is a great meal anytime of the day.”

When I asked for any piece of advice Mr. Hunkovic had to give whether athletics or education, he replied with “hard work pays off.”

While teaching and coaching, he teaches us the importance of a good work ethic, a positive mindset and hard work. Now when you hear the name Hunkovic, you can put a face to the name and know that he is a teacher dedicated to making a positive impact on students and athletes alike.