Hudson Artz to live out childhood dream at NDSU
FAIRMONT, Minn. (BVM) — This summer, Hudson Artz was able to make a lifelong dream come true and set himself up to continue playing football after he is done at Fairmont High School next 测别补谤.听
鈥淢y dream was to play college football, I never said it had to be DI, it had to be DII or whatever,鈥� Artz said. 鈥淚 just wanted to play college football.鈥澛�
It turned out that DI is where he was meant to be as Artz verbally committed to North Dakota State University over the summer as a preferred walk-on. The decision came after two different trips to Fargo. The first allowed Artz to get to know the coaching staff and the second one was a three–day camp.
鈥淚鈥檇 say that鈥檚 where I earned my offer and when they offered I kind of new right away that is where I鈥檓 going to end up,鈥� Artz said.
He still gave himself time to consider his other options, but in the end it was always going to be NDSU, making Artz the second in his family to play for the Bison. Artz鈥檚 father, Kelly, was a wide receiver for the Bison in the mid 1990s and although he never forced his son to play football or go to his alma mater, he wasn鈥檛 disappointed when Hudson made his decision.
鈥淚 know deep down he was very happy when I made that decision,鈥� Hudson said.
We said welcome to the Family in 2003 when you were born in Fargo ND . Now we say it again; Welcome to the BISON FAMILY馃
— KELLY ARTZ (@KellyArtz1)
Hudson鈥檚 decision was the culmination of years of hard work and the outcome was not always certain. Although he also participates in track and hockey, Artz made the decision to pursue college football back in junior high. Since then, he has been working towards that goal but didn鈥檛 get validation until last summer when Minnesota State University, Mankato began recruiting him.
鈥淟ast summer I got my first offer from Mankato鈥� Getting that offer really opened my eyes,鈥� Hudson said. 鈥淚t pushed me forward to try and get to the next level.鈥澛�
That offer was exactly what Hudson needed to take his training to the next level, but prior to that validation, he had to make other goals that at the time were more attainable.聽
鈥淏efore sophomore year, I wanted to be a varsity starter as a sophomore so I think that just in itself was a huge motivator,鈥� Hudson said聽
He had played on special teams as a freshman when Fairmont made it to the state championship game, but now he wanted more time on the field, playing defense.聽
鈥淭hat鈥檚 where I wanted to end up playing鈥� I like the defensive side of the ball,鈥� Hudson said. 鈥淚 like being the hammer not the nail.鈥澛�
His speed — he made it to the state meet this past season in multiple events — and physicality have made him a danger on the defensive side of the ball and it鈥檚 also what caught the attention of college coaches. It鈥檚 why he is set to be a safety at NDSU.
However, before he moves on to Fargo, he still has one more year at Fairmont with a team that has a lot of potential.
鈥淭he team is looking good, it鈥檚 been a good week and a half for us,鈥� Hudson said. 鈥淚 think we鈥檙e very excited about the team we have.鈥澛�
The Cardinals are coming off of a season they were just happy to be out on the field but underperformed based on their recent success. Fairmont has most of the roster returning this year and the team has some lofty goals because of it.聽
鈥淲e want to be undefeated this season, we want to be conference champs and we want to be state champs,鈥� Hudson said. 鈥淲e have pretty big goals but I think we have the talent to have those goals.鈥澛�
Along with achieving those goals, it will give Hudson another chance to show to his teammates that someone from Fairmont can make it to the next level and what it takes to do that. He can remember when he was an underclassmen that not many players were continuing their football careers after high school.
With players like his younger brother Hank looking up to him, Hudson has made the effort to showcase to everyone that if you put your mind to it you can make it to the next level. Hudson did it and he hopes more from Fairmont will follow his lead.聽
