American college footballer Hudson Kaak (back) paid Seymour College students a visit last month. Photos: Supplied.
Seymour College alum Hudson Kaak has enjoyed a break from his college football commitments in the United States, paying a visit to his former school on a trip home.
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has welcomed back alum Hudson Kaak, who now, since graduating, spends his days playing American college football for the Auburn Tigers.
Soon after finishing high school, Mr Kaak was given the opportunity of a lifetime in January 2023 when he was offered a spot to play for Oklahoma State, something which he still struggles to wrap his head around.
He now plays for the Auburn Tigers after transferring last December.
“I grew up in Yea and Seymour and, being in such a small town, you think about playing in front of 100,000-plus people in Alabama in the United States, and it’s so far-fetched,” he said.
“The chances are one in a million.”
On Tuesday, May 20, Mr Kaak paid a visit to the Seymour College students, getting involved in the AFL clinic that was running on the day and sharing his story with the interested students.
Mr Kaak said that while many people didn’t know much about his sport, with some of the students only knowing it “because Taylor Swift’s boyfriend plays it,” the students were still enthralled by his presence as a professional player who lives abroad.
“They all had some very funny questions, especially regarding America,” Mr Kaak said.
“It was like, ‘have you ever been to Walmart? Have you eaten Chick-fil-A?’
“Usually when I go to clinics (in the United States), all the questions are about football, and so it was pretty refreshing just to get all different kinds of questions.”
Hudson Kaak said he was happy to have an AFL footy back in hand, after having played college football in America for the past two years.
Another refreshing aspect of Mr Kaak’s trip home was fitting easily back into his lifestyle as a Seymour local.
“I enjoy it because I go back, and I just become Hudson. Like, everyone knows me as the Hudson that grew up here rather than the Hudson the football player,” he said.
“I love all of the fans over here (in the United States) and I love everything that comes with it, but it’s just refreshing because it’s such an intense environment over here.
“It’s refreshing to go home where no-one really cares. Everyone in Seymour is really supportive of my journey, but they don’t really see me as Hudson the football player.”
While the majority of the students he met during his visit to the college didn’t know much about American college football, Mr Kaak said that there were some interested players.
He said his most significant piece of advice was to just be open to everything that lay ahead.
“I think my biggest advice, and it’s not necessarily catered to just my footsteps, is to just be open to any opportunity that comes your way,” he said.
“I definitely wasn’t looking for this opportunity, it just sort of fell into my lap, and I always think, ‘what if I hadn’t taken it?’
“Even though it might be hard, and you’re pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, if a door is presented to you, it’s always better to see what’s on the other side.”
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