There's not one way in particular that a recruit gets the attention of college coaches. For Hunter Barth, it was a Cal 7 on 7 camp in 2018. Right after his freshman year, Barth, now at Queen Creek, came up with his Casteel team and caught the attention of Burl Toler. That led to him coming back for camp the next year, and Charlie Ragle getting into his recruitment.

"The first coach from Cal that actually started contacting me was coach Toler," Barth recalled "who noticed me at the 7 on 7 tournament my freshman year, they took us through the facilities. I got a really good feel for Cal then, and the next year I came back to the camp. Coach Ragle, he’s an Arizona guy, and I’ve really been talking to him since the summer of this last year, that’s when he really started contacting me."

From there, the Bears were consistent in their approach, landing of the commitment of the versatile defensive back prospect.

"Cal’s been in my top schools for a long time," Barth noted, "along with some other schools, but Cal has been my number one. We wanted to make a decision before the summer, or early in the summer. It kind of just felt right with Cal, coach Ragle and coach Yates made me feel like Cal was the place for me, I also liked talking with coach Sirmon. It was great and it was just the right time. First thing I did was around 10 in the morning I called coach Ragle to tell him the news, then I called coach Yates and coach Wilcox called me soon after. They were all truly excited, it was a great day."

Unlike a number of other players committed in the 2021 class so far, Barth hadn't made it up for an unofficial this spring, but he'd been to Berkeley for the camps and had been shown around on virtual visits.

"They gave us virtual tours of the dorms, dining halls, all that," Barth said. "I’m pretty familiar with Berkeley and I really like it up there. Not really being able to take an official visit (yet) wasn’t really a setback with me for Cal."

Ragle and Marcel Yates were the main voices in Barth's ear from Cal, with Yates coming down to Queen Creek during the January evaluation period to see Barth. As far as a future position, there's a few different avenues he could go down, including the newly created Star position.

"They see me as a safety, strong safety, even playing in the nickel spot," Barth noted, "they’re not against me moving to linebacker eventually. I’ve had meetings with coach Yates (about playing the Star position) and they definitely see that as a spot for me."

When he gets to Cal, he'll find himself among a number of guys he's played against, being the 11th commit from the state of Arizona.

"I’ve known of Kai Millner for quite a while," Barth recalled, "we played against each other in freshman and JV basketball. Brayden Rohme, a Perry guy, Spencer Brasch, I actually played against him when I was at Casteel. Aidan Lee, I played against him this last season, great athlete. I’ve definitely played against a lot of the Arizona guys."

Right now, in aftermath of his commitment, Barth is going through his normal routine of schoolwork, working out, and occasionally going fishing while keeping social distance. When the time comes, he's looking to get back up to Berkeley.

"I’m definitely going to try to get up to Cal as soon as possible for an official," Barth said.