CRESTVIEW— Colter Hancock is the kind of player every baseball coach loves to have on the team.
The Crestview High School junior is a reliable third baseman with sharp reflexes and a strong arm. He also swings the bat well, and he's developed into one of the area's best pitchers.
Crestview Coach Tim Gillis can’t say enough good things about Hancock.
“I think if you watch our guys, they kind of feed off of him,” Gillis said. “They feel good when he’s on the mound. What a great trait as a player: when you walk to the plate or step on the mound, your teammates are glad you are there.
“That says a lot about what the team thinks about him. And obviously, as a coach, we like him out there on the mound. We really do.”
Now, we catch up with Colter Hancock.
Q:How old were you when you started playing baseball?
A: I was about 4 or 5 years old.
Q:What's the best part of baseball?
A: Playing with your best friends and getting a win.
Q:What's the worst part of baseball?
A: Losing.
Q:What are your expectations for the rest of the season?
A:We’ve been putting the barrel on the ball pretty well lately. I think we’ll be all right. If we put things together on the mound, we can get the win.
Q:If you had to pick a different sport to play, what would it be?
A: Probably golf, because it’s kind of the same swinging motion (as baseball).
Q:What is your favorite baseball experience?
A:We had a bunch of good wins last year. I was a sophomore last year, and there was a lot of pressure on me pitching. Playing Navarre in the 18-inning game, I ended up getting a hit in that game.
Q:What are your hobbies outside baseball?
A: Going to school and hanging out with friends.
Q:What's your dream career?
A:Some type of engineering.
Q:Do you want to play college baseball?
A:I plan on playing somewhere small, not too big. Probably a two-year JUCO (junior college), nowhere in particular. But I am a Florida Gators fan.
Q:What is your favorite movie?
A:“Furious Seven.”
Q:Who is your favorite singer?
A:I listen to everyone, but I guess I would pick Drake.
Q:If you could be a cartoon character, who would you be?
A:Scooby Doo, because he’s always curious.
Randy Dickson is the Crestview News Bulletin’s sports editor. Email him at randyd@crestviewbulletin.com, tweet him @cnb_sports, or call 682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Catching up with Colter Hancock