On Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2013, Upper Moreland senior Charlie Hooker was recognized at a special news conference for signing a letter of intent to play baseball at Alderson Broaddus. To view photos of the signing, please visit the Photo Gallery.
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Charlie Hooker – Alderson Broaddus University (Baseball)
Major: Business Management or Sports Management
Final list of colleges: Alderson Broaddus, Fairleigh Dickinson, Morehead State, Alabama State, East Stroudsburg, Millersville
Reasons for choosing Alderson Broaddus: “The main reason I picked Alderson Broaddus - I was 
communicating with the coaching staff throughout my entire summer playing baseball. They were the only school that basically kept in close contact every single week, wondering how I was doing at every single tournament I was at even if they weren’t there. The second reason is they’re a small school with an enrollment of around 1,200 people. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13-to-1, so I know I’ll be getting a good education. Another example is the area and the surroundings. First of all, I wanted to go out of state, and the area it’s in is really wooded. It’s not a city scene, and I really look forward to going there.”
What was the progression that led you to playing collegiate baseball? “My sophomore year of baseball, I had a great season pitching, and I thought after that I was going to pitch in college. But then my junior season came around, and I became first team all-state, and when you’re first team all-state, you’re obviously going to get attention from coaches everywhere. Right after that when coaches started contacting me, I knew this was going to get me somewhere pretty serious.
“It was pretty much baseball all the way through. My sophomore year I was thinking of doing both baseball and football, but then as my junior year came around, that’s when I switched to baseball all the way.”
Coach Ernie Rehr says: “Charlie’s a four-year starter, and he’s one of those rare finds. He’s not only a starter but a four-year legitimate contributor in the program. It’s part of the reason we are where are because of him. As a freshman and sophomore, he pitched for us. Being a young guy and being asked to pitch varsity was tough, but he really came through and helped us win three titles. His junior year he really came into his own as a hitter. That’s kind of where we saw him blossom and take on this new role of a legitimate Division One/Division II talented hitter. And he’s versatile. He’ll play anywhere in the infield you want him to. We started to talk to him about playing the outfield, and he’s been converted to the outfield, and he pitches. That’s a great asset to have when a coach can look at a kid and say, ‘I need you to jump to the outfield,’ and he doesn’t say, ‘Oh man.’ He just runs out there. It’s great.”
Upper Moreland assistant coach /Morelanders American Legion coach Ken Irwin says: “Obviously what he did last year – he could always hit. He doesn’t think there’s a pitch he can’t hit, and most of the time he’s right. He’s one of those kids that at a young age you knew he had it as a hitter, and he’s just developed and become bigger and stronger. He’s got a bright future.
“He’s also athletic, which I think gets lost a little bit. The pitching he does is because we need him to pitch. It’s not necessarily high on his list, but he does it for the team, and he’s very good at it. That’s what college is going to do for him – find that position that will be his niche. For our team and for the teams he’s played on in the summer, he’s played a little third, a little shortstop, a little first, and a little outfield. He’d even catch if you need him to catch. If ever there was that ultimate guy you have to find a position for him on the field because he can hit, he’s that guy, but he’s not going to hurt you defensively anywhere either. And he can run. He’s an above average runner, and he’s one of the smarter baseball players in the area.”
About Charlie:
Favorite food: Chicken and Dumplings
Favorite movie: Forrest Gump
Favorite music: Country
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