Sydney Hunter '15
If you asked Sydney Hunter, '15, where she saw herself 10 years after graduation, she most likely would not have said 'Starring in the remake of the reality show American Gladiator.' Yet that is exactly where the track star is, and she wouldn't have it any other way.
Sydney was always good at sports and started running track at a young age. In middle school she also rode horses, but her mom told her she could only do one sport in high school. Having role models in track like Olympic gold medalists Florence Joyner (Flo Jo) and Allyson Felix helped her choose track over horseback riding. After attending elementary school at St. Roberts, she decided to attend St. Francis due to its robust athletics programs.
"Although I went with the school that would give me the best road to a scholarship, from day one I felt like I belonged there. It was perfect for me," she said.
When Sydney arrived at St. Francis, she jumped right in. Aside from running track, she was also the Spirit Coordinator on Student Council for three years. Her vibrant personality made it easy for her to go all in.
"I've always had a big personality and St. Francis allowed that. They never tried to dim my light and I loved that. I always felt welcomed."
While attending St. Francis, Sydney ran the 200m, 400m, 4X400 and 4X100, setting the school record for the 400M with a time of 55.88, which she still holds today. Although St. Francis helped her excel on the field, she also grew as a person.
"St. Francis has a degree of excellence that I learned. It taught me to be a team player and the importance of community and hard work," she said.
After graduation she attended the University of California, Riverside, on a track scholarship where she ran the 200m, 400m and her all time favorite the 4x400 relay. The trajectory in college is what led to her career in fitness. Originally a business major, and realizing that wasn't a good fit, she switched to psychology, which matched her personality of enjoying people and talking to them.
The summer after her sophomore year she stayed in Riverside and needed a job. As someone who grew up wearing gym clothes or school uniforms, she couldn't wrap her head around wearing "actual clothes," so she accepted a job at a local gym. Her personality was so perfect, they quickly asked her to be a personal trainer. She loved it so much, she changed her major again and stuck with her job, waking up to train people as early as 4:30am, then heading to class and staying committed to track.
"I wanted to get out of school quickly because I loved personal training so much," she said. "I took 20 units on a quarter system while taking units from the community college and running track. I finished in four years, even though I had originally planned to red shirt and do it in five."
Sydney moved to Los Angeles right out of college with the goal of becoming a personal trainer for celebrities. That is also when she picked up power lifting.
"I've always excelled in the weight room, and once I started powerlifting, I climbed the ranks."
A call from a friend last March changed everything. He wanted to introduce her to the casting director for American Gladiator. After a two-week period of phone calls and auditions, she learned she earned a spot on the show.
"It all just happened so fast. I'm excited as a woman for the world to celebrate strength," Sydney said.
If you're not familiar with the show, which ended its original run in 1996, the same year Sydney was born, here is a quick breakdown: Sixteen Gladiators are on the show - eight women and eight men. They are fixed teams and go up against everyday contenders on each episode to see who wins. Sydney is kicking off the launch of the show's remake, which drops its first episode on Amazon Prime on April 17th, with a press tour.
Her first stop will be her old stomping grounds - Serra Court at St. Francis High School. Just thinking about it brings back a flood of her favorite memories. Her first, of course, being track. But she has fond memories of being the spirit coordinator on student council, rallying everyone at homecoming and leading the cheers (she says she gets goosebumps reminiscing about that) and attending every retreat because she believed in setting a good example while being a leader on student council.
She'll look forward to seeing Ms. Cost, who made a significant impact on Sydney's life, although Sydney jokes she might have spent too much time in Ms. Cost's office. And she fondly remembers Mr. Poggi, who was always very nice.
When reconnecting with current Troubies now, she has one strong message: "Don't let ANYONE dim your sparkle, no matter how big that sparkle is. If you fall, get up and keep going, keep trying."