​Hontz developing into one of the best soccer players in U.S.

by Michael Smith
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It’s been a decade since Khari Hontz first started playing soccer.

The 14-year old Grain Valley resident said she remembers watching her brother, Cooper, play, and she grew an admiration for professional soccer player Lionel Messi, who played for FC Barcelona.

“When I watched him play when I was younger, if he lost, I would start crying,” Khari said of watch Messi play on television.

Cooper stopped playing soccer when he was in eighth grade. Khari, on the other hand, sees the sport as her future.

In recent years, Khari has been playing for the Kansas City Athletics soccer club as an attacking midfielder. She plays for the 15-and-under girls team and plays for the 14-and-under boys squad.

In the 10 years she has been playing soccer, she has developed into one of the best players in the nation.

That was evident when she was chosen to participate in the US Soccer Girls U-14 Talent ID National Camp in Chula Vista, Calif., which invited the top 36 players in the country in her age group.

At the camp, she had three practices and played in two scrimmages. For her, it was an experience of a lifetime.

“It was good to get experience under other coaches,” Khari said, and meeting new people and making friendships that will last a lifetime. It was also awesome to play against high-level competition. It made me a better player.”

Throughout the years, Khari has put in several hours into honing her craft and training to become better at the sport. She said she would spend about two hours a day with her day working on her game.

“I always wanted to be better than everyone else,” Khari said.

Because of her dedication and hard work, she has become an elite player. She said her biggest strength is playmaking and passing, but she can put the ball in the back of the net, too.

“I see the field really well,” Khari said. “I like to create chances for my team. I’d say my goals and assists are pretty balanced.”

Next week, she will be playing in the Elite Clubs National League playoffs next week with the Athletics in San Diego. Her team qualified during the regular season this year as it finished with a 10-2 record, which resulted in a fourth-place finish in the Midwest Conference. The top five teams in each conference qualified for the tournament.

Khari said she think her team can make a deep run in the postseason.

“I think if everyone works together and everyone plays at their best, then I think we have a good chance of going far,” Khari said. “I am excited to play against new teams that we haven’t played yet.”

She still has four years of high school to complete. Khari said she was recently offered a scholarship to attend IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., to play for their soccer program. She has not made the decision if she will accept the offer or not.

However, if she ends up staying in Missouri, she will attend the Blue Springs Freshman Center and will continue to play for the Athletics. Khari added that she does not plan on playing for the high school team at Blue Springs South.

“It’s higher competition to play for a club team than in high school,” Khari said. “I feel like playing with my club will provide a better opportunity for my future because scouts come and watch our games.”

She has set her goals high as she plans on playing at the professional level.
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“I want to go straight to the pros instead of playing in college,” Khari said. “It would be a dream to play for the Barcelona women’s national team.”

Grain Valley resident Khari Hontz, 14, is developing into one of the best soccer players in her age group in the country. She participated in the US Soccer Girls U-14 Talent ID National Camp in Chula Vista, Calif. The top 36 players in the 14-and-under age group were invited.