Feature story by Kimberly Garlick

Central State coach fondly remembers fallen player

By Kimberly Garlick

It has been nearly three months since Central State University cornerback Kordero Hunter, 21, tragically lost his life as an innocent bystander of a shooting outside of the A List Lounge in downtown Dayton on Sept. 23. Hunter, a native of South Holland, Ill. was in his junior year of school, his second year at Central State.

Coach E.J. Junior received a phone call at 6 in the morning that day from one of his coaches saying that Hunter had been shot. Junior said he experienced emotions ranging from shock to anger. Eventually, with his faith in God, he said he came to a point where he had to trust God with the reason why this happened. Recently he spoke in an interview about what he remembers most about Hunter and how he has coped with the loss.

Q: What do you remember most about Kordero Hunter?

Junior: “He was an all-around team player. He was one who believed in trying to do things together, and his work ethic showed that.”

Q: What do you think was Hunter’s biggest contribution to the team?

Junior: “I think Kordero’s biggest contribution to the team was his energy and his zest for life. He was one who always believed in competing, be it on the field or off the field…he wanted to be the best. He didn’t want to be second to anybody. And even when he wasn’t the starter at times, he still had the same work ethic and he would still have that same smile.”

Q: What did you do to help the players especially cope with the loss of their teammate and friend?

Junior: “The first thing I explained to them was God has a reason and purpose behind everything, though we may not understand the reason why, and the first thing that we needed to do was not to be angry and vengeful. …There was a reason and a season and a purpose in Kordero’s life, and retaliation was not part of it.”

Q: What do you hope will be the long-term response from your team and the campus to this tragedy?

Junior: “Hopefully its message will constantly stick in their minds that life is not promised, tomorrow is not promised, and to do the best that you can in everything that you do, that you give glory to God and not to lose focus on why we are here and what our purpose is while we’re here.”

Q: How has this impacted your life, personally?


Junior: “I’m the father figure of the team, and when you lose one of your sons it hurts, it bothers you, you still think about how things could be different, but you still focus on the purpose which is to still raise these young men to be the foundation that God has made them to be. He will be missed, but not forgotten. We will hold him in our hearts.”

According to reports from the Montgomery County Court, Jason Dashawn Shern, 30, is still in jail, awaiting trial after pleading innocent to the charges brought against him. Shern does have a criminal record including possession of cocaine, possession of heroin and carrying a concealed weapon all on separate occasions. The charges he is facing now include three counts of felonious assault and one count of murder as a proximate result.

Recent attempts to speak with Hunter’s family were unsuccessful.