Heywood Hunt’s career spans over 5 decades. Heywood played football, basketball, and ran track at Ritenour High School. After graduation, he attended Northwest Missouri State University, where he graduated with a BS degree in Industrial Technology. He made the basketball team as a walk on which increased his understanding of being behind and how to catch up. A further note of his perseverance is he graduated from high school and college 2 years early.

Heywood started his coaching journey by helping athletes in high school. He was an assistant coach at Francis Howell Central and Melville High School. While in the Francis Howell School District, he was a Paraprofessional working with special needs students. He started reading books and watching videos to develop his knowledge and increase his basketball IQ. Working camps provided hands-on experience. Two notable camps were the Morgan Wooten camp in Maryland and Pete Newell’s Big Man Camp. These camps provided one on one opportunities and experiencing on court college and professional players and coaches.

Heywood’s love for the game is undeniable, and with the help of his wife Sue, they formed a nonprofit organization called All American Athlete in 1994. The mission was to help players and give them a chance to flourish in life and sports. Heywood’s extensive basketball background form the strategies, concepts, and systems which are the building blocks for All American Athlete. The addition of Northstars basketball with Danny Blackshear and Bill Hafer combined to provide 3 entities. All American Athlete became the business entity, Northstars basketball the team entity, and Hoop2ters as the training entity. Most recently the dream has been further increased with the building of the Lombardo Homes and All American Athlete Children Center. Special thanks go to Mike Van Pamel, family, and staff at Lombardo Homes to build Heywood’s dream house for the program. This state-of-the-art facility has helped to develop more student/athletes increased the organizations reach in the community spreading our mission, tradition, direction, and history.

“We all need help at some time in our lives and All American Athlete tries to help when help is needed. We are not here to develop athletes in skill only. We develop the total person and prepare them for life. Life is a more intense game.”