'This is it.' Mishawaka Marian grad Jax Hundt living out pro soccer dream in England

Jax Hundt thought there was no chance he would get into the game. He had only signed with Gloucester City AFC a week prior , and the Tigers were playing Bishops Cleeve in the Gloucestershire County Cup final. Just to be in uniform for the match was good enough for Hundt.

In the late stages of a 2-2 game, though, Hundt’s number was called.

He had made it.

The Mishawaka Marian graduate lived out his dream on April 23 by seeing playing time for a professional soccer franchise. Hundt was on the field when Gloucester won in penalty kicks, 5-4, to win the County Cup. He joined in the postgame trophy celebration as well, including signing and giving away his shoes to a kid in the crowd.

“I had always dreamed of being a professional player, and at that moment, I was like, ‘This is it,’” Hundt said. “I was ready to prove myself and shine, and we really did to get that win.”

The appearance for Gloucester City was the culmination of a successful first year in England for Hundt.

After a decorated high school career at Marian that included 67 goals and 163 points — both program records — Hundt had several options for where he wanted to play soccer next. While he was considering college in the United States, the dream to play overseas became more of a reality after a club soccer match in January 2023.

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“I was playing in an Indy Premier (Soccer Club) game – it was a league game against the national champs from the year before, and one of the England scouts saw me at that game,” Hundt recalled. “I scored the winner that game, and they thought I was really good. They asked if I’d be interested in coming to England, and I was like, ‘Oh, that’s awesome.’”

While committing to play in England was a risk, it was one Hundt was worth taking. He enrolled at the University of Gloucestershire, joining the UDA Soccer team through the school. Hundt also would play in an FA men’s league, where he quickly stood out to the Gloucester City coaches.

After a month of strong performances, Hundt was invited to start practicing with the club. Although he wasn’t signed to the professional club at the time, he was still able to be around the team while also playing for both the UDA and FA teams.

Hundt stayed in England over Christmas break even to spend as much time around the team and sport as possible.

“Being alone with no family over there, I had to make friends and meet new people,” Hundt said. “All those friends now are basically family to me. I feel like everyone respected me and was so nice over there. All the English people are so friendly. I’ve just loved the experience.”

Across 50 games played between the UDA and FA men’s league, Hundt scored 48 goals and tallied 21 assists. He scored seven goals in one men’s league game, which is believed to be a league record.

That level of production led to Hundt signing with Gloucester City on April 13. They play in the Southern Football League , which is the seventh tier of the English football (soccer) league system. Ten days later, Hundt was on the field in the regular season finale for the Tigers.

“I could not be prouder of Jax,” said Heather Hundt, Jax’s mother. “Not just because he’s talented, but because of his character. … He took a huge risk in going overseas. We had to make a lot of sacrifices to make that happen, but all of us were willing because that’s how much we believe in him.”

Several people have kept tabs on Hundt in the last year, including Marian coach Ben Householter. While he’s a little surprised to see Hundt rising the ranks quickly, he isn’t fully shocked.

“He definitely has the talent, and combining that with his work rate makes him extra special,” Householter said. “He’s humble, and he works hard. … I think the coaches over in England have said they believe in him and trust him, and that’s given him a lot of confidence as a player.”

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Hundt will return to England in August to play for Gloucester City while also staying in school at the University of Gloucestershire. Hundt is confident he can balance the workload of college and playing professional soccer at the same time.

“I hope to have this exact same season I just had, but for the pro team,” Hundt said. “I want to be that guy for them and be their star. I want other coaches from other teams higher up to see me so I can get a bigger contract, play for higher clubs and continue my steps up. The Premier League is the goal.”

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: 'This is it.' Mishawaka Marian grad Jax Hundt living out pro soccer dream in England