USports Player Spotlight of the Week: Eli Hetlinger, QB, Alberta

Eli Hetlinger the standout gunslinger from Alberta in Canada is one of the best USports players in the Country. Check out this exclusive interview.

Name: Eli Hetlinger
Position: QB
College: Alberta (Canada)
Height: 6’0
Weight: 185lbs

We’re back with another USports Spotlight! This week we go to Western Canada and chat with Eli Hetlinger, a 6’0 185 Quarterback from the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Here’s what he had to say in our interview:

Hello Eli! Thanks for taking the time to speak with me. How are you doing? What are you up to these days? Please introduce yourself to our readers!
- Hello Naol! I am doing good! How are you doing?
- My name is Eli Hetlinger, I am the starting quarterback for the University of Alberta Golden Bears and am now going into my second year of eligibility this upcoming year. Since the season has ended, I have been busy with off-season weight and field training with the Golden Bears throughout the week, staying on top of my academic schedule which consists of four classes this semester, I have been busy coaching U14 and U15 football on weekends as both an offensive coordinator and a quarterbacks coach, and lastly, teaching kids proper lifting technique twice a week through a program called Southside Prep in Edmonton.
What got you into football? & Why do you enjoy playing football?
- Back when I was 7 years old, I would go to almost every game the Edmonton Elks (formerly the Edmonton Eskimos) played. After one of their games, I asked my Dad to sign me up to try it out! He signed me up with the Edmonton Chargers Football Club and after getting my equipment they placed me at Defensive End, as I was a stockier kid back then. I didn’t like this position as I was never able to get a sack on the Quarterback. It wasn’t until my second year of football when my coach asked me to try out as a quarterback instead, as I was always more interested in watching the quarterbacks throw the ball during drills instead of learning pass rush moves. After this transition, I fell in love with the game as I found something I was better at and enjoyed being the one that got to throw the ball to a receiver, especially for touchdowns! As I have matured, the enjoyment of that has not left, however, I have expanded my enjoyment in football to working with teammates and coaches towards various goals in football and life, creating bonds that will last a lifetime, and seeing the personal growth of teammates and myself year after year on the field and in various aspects of our lives.
What are your goals as a football player and as an overall person?
- To elaborate on the previous response, my goals as a university football player are team-centred more than anything else. My goal is to be a part of leading the University of Alberta Golden Bears toward achieving our collective objective of winning a national championship. Any individual accolades or achievements such as awards will be a blessing and appreciated, but ultimately a product of my devotion towards our team’s vision. Lastly, after playing through my university career, my next goal would be to play professional football. Aside from football, my current goal is to complete my degrees, (the first in kinesiology and the other degree being either in business or education), be able to give back to kids/others during their journey, as many others have done for me, and lastly continue to make a commitment towards spending time and making memories with my friends, family and loved ones.
How do you feel going into your 2nd year at Alberta?
- I definitely feel more confident going into my 2nd year. Being able to have game reps and experience under my belt is invaluable. Being able to watch mistakes in a live setting has been very beneficial in allowing me to make meaningful corrections to improve my game, as well as reassure some of the things I did/do well. Furthermore, the team has been putting in a lot of great work and effort during these past couple of months and I am excited to see the product of this in the coming season!
What was your best game last season? How did you feel after the game?
- My best game last season was week three against the Calgary Dinos. Everything on offense seemed to be clicking and I finished the night (24/33) with 348 passing yards, 44 rushing yards, and 3 total TDs. First and foremost, it felt good to get the team win as it is never easy to get a win in CanWest as it is a competitive conference. Secondly, it felt rewarding to see that the teams and my preparation going into the game were able to show through our production and the outcome.
What’s your typical fitness routine?
- My fitness routine consists of four runs and four lifts per week, and then additionally I have throwing sessions with receivers, running backs, defensive backs, and linebackers throughout the remainder of the week. Lastly and most importantly, every day I am eating healthy and doing some form of mobility/recovery to ensure my body stays healthy and capable of completing my fitness regime.
What is your favorite offensive scheme and why?
- In terms of offensive schemes, It is hard to choose a singular favorite scheme as we found success attacking teams in a wide variety of ways. If I had to choose one, however, I would say I found the most success pairing various route concepts with a moved pocket to create different looks from the defense as well as different launch points for myself.
What would you tell a team during a draft interview?
- I would tell them that whoever gets me is getting someone who cares and is most invested in team success and objectives, a person who is committed to putting in whatever work necessary to fulfill requirements from coaches in terms of what they need from me in order to help achieve these goals and objectives, a person who is committed to making a positive difference to people around them in the organization and in their community, and lastly a player who possess a dual-treat ability, a high football IQ, and a high desire to win football games.
What would you tell aspiring football athletes?
- I will attempt to answer this question with as few cliches as possible and with one key takeaway. In terms of football development itself, the most valuable skill anyone can develop, especially at a young age, that will overshadow the majority of a person’s football success is coachability. This means that when you make a mistake (because it will happen very frequently) you take the feedback and make an honest effort to correct it as soon as possible. Whether that occurs on the next rep or many reps after that, by diligently working at overcoming corrections on the skill, learning new skills, or mental aspects of the game as efficiently as you can, you attain a precious skill that allows people to play sports for a very long time. Additionally, exposing yourself to as many of these situations as possible will only make you better, so don’t be afraid to try new things. Additionally, this will pay dividends for a person in many aspects of their life beyond football such as relationships, school, work, and life.