Pedzisa mutsara unotevera: Hulst akapinda Laguna Beach High School, kwaakamhanya munhangemutange dzomunyika yose uye munhangemutange dzomutambo wenhangemutange. Pakutanga, aida kutamba tenesi, asi akabudirira mumwaka wake wekutanga wekuyambuka nyika uye akaenderera mberi kubva ipapo, achimhanya mamaira maviri mu9:04.6 (min: sec) semunhu wekutanga. KuLaguna Beach HS, murairidzi wake aive Len Miller, uyo akatevera huzivi hwepamusoro-hwemakiromita ekudzidzisa akajairwa kuma1970 uye aizodzidzisa Hulst kuUC-Irvine. Hulst anoyeukwa zvakanaka munzanga inomhanya nokuda kworutivi rwake rwokurovedza rwune ngozi zvikuru. Pazera remakore 15, Hulst airovha makiromita 100 pavhiki achidzidzira, uye kazhinji aimuka na5:00 mangwanani kuti amhanye pakati pemakiromita 10 ne13 makiromita makirasi asati atanga na8: 30. Kumhanya kwake kwemangwanani kwaitanga kubva kuEmerald Bay kuenda kuCorona del Mar ndokudzoka, uye kazhinji kazhinji aipfeka jasi romutobvu rairema makirogiramu gumi. Munguva yebasa rake rechikoro chesekondari, kukwikwidzana kwakakwikwidzana kwakatevera pakati paHulst neLoara High School standout Ralph Serna. Pakusangana kweNational Postal cross country muna 1974, Hulst akaiswa wechipiri mumunda wevanomhanyisa vechikoro chesekondari munyika, shure kweSerna chete. Zvichida, kukunda kwake kwakakurumbira kuchikoro chesekondari kwaiva mu1975 California Interscholastic Federation state 2-mile championship race, umo akapedza ari panzvimbo yekutanga munguva yekurekodha chikoro chesekondari ye8: 44.9 mberi kweSerna; vose vakapedza pasi peRich Kimball rekodhi 8: 46.6 yakagadzirirwa mumusangano wegore rapfuura. Mukati megore rake rokupedzisira rechikoro chapamusoro, Hulst akadanwa kukirabhu yenyika yeU.S. nokuda kwe
1976 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, kwaakakunda mujaho wevarume vechidiki. Somuuyo, akaoneka mumufananidzo uri pabutiro reNharireyomurindi yaMay 1976 ye"Runner's World". Akafuridzirwa naDave Wottle, Hulst akapfeka ngowani paaikwikwidza muchikoro chesekondari. Mumwaka wegore iroro, akaderedza CIF-SS yake uye hurumende 2-maira rekodhi zvakare kusvika ku8: 44.6 paCIF-SS Masters Meet uye akakunda mukwikwidzi wake wechipiri anotevera mumutambo.