Many high school athletes dream of one day making it as a professional player, but most don’t have what it takes to take it to the next level of their game. Senior Jared Hegardt, however, is poised to potentially continue his soccer career far beyond playing at Cathedral.
It’s not every athlete that can say he or she has played on a varsity team since freshman year of high school, but Hegardt has done just that. Four years of soccer at Cathedral, in addition to nine years of previous soccer experience and a stint on the National Soccer Team, have given Hegardt the background he needs to continue successfully at Santa Clara University, the college he will attend this coming fall, and beyond.
Hegardt, who plays center midfield, credits his father for getting him into the sport. His parents also played a role in his college choice: they are both alumni of Santa Clara as well. Other colleges that scouted Hegardt were Georgetown, Notre Dame, Louisville, and Boston college, but he said he decided on Santa Clara “because of its location, and also because they generally have a good team each year. Both my parents went there, so I think I just had a natural proclivity toward it.”
Soccer dominates the majority of Hegardt’s schedule. “I would like to say I have other things to do besides soccer, but honestly soccer consumes a lot of your life,” he said. In addition to the two-and-a-half hour practices every day after school during the winter soccer season, Hegardt plays for Surf Academy during off-season.
He says the main goal for the CCHS team this year is to win CIF. “The team looks good. We have a smaller team this year than usual, but we are a very skilled team.” He encourages students to come out to as many games as possible this season, because the support means a lot.
Senior Chris Sennes, one of Hegardt’s teammates and good friends, said, “Just as a soccer player, I think he’s one of the hardest-working kids on the field. He puts in endless time practicing, and it makes him one of the most fun kids to watch during games. It looks like he isn’t even trying because he is so good on the ball, and he’s a big contributor to our team because he is able to make all of us look better. He distributes the ball really well and creates time and space for the rest of the team, and he wants us as a team to look better. Such a good player could only focus on making himself look better, but he is a team player instead.”
Looking forward, Hegardt is clear on his main goal. He said, “I want to try and eventually become a professional in the sport.” Based on his soccer career so far, and if he keeps up his current momentum, Hegardt’s dream could one day very well become a reality.