Jony Muñoz puts pro soccer career on hold, makes history at Olathe West High School
OLATHE, Kan. (BVM) — Jony Muñoz could already be a Major League Soccer player for Sporting Kansas City if he wanted to be.
“He was 100% going to be a kid they signed to a contract as a 16-year-old,” said Olathe West High School boys soccer head coach Matt Trumpp, who coached with Sporting Kansas City Academy for 12 years.
Muñoz, a former member of the U.S. Soccer U-16 national team, spent his freshman and sophomore years of high school playing club soccer for Sporting KC Academy. If he had stayed, he would’ve been given an opportunity that a lot of teenagers would jump at — $50,000 to play professionally. But college would have gone out the window, and Muñoz would’ve also lost the chance to play for Olathe West, which meant more to him than many could understand.
“Everything was great there (at Sporting KC),” Muñoz said. “It was just honestly a God-led decision. It became very clear to me that I needed to leave and it was the best decision I’ve made in my life up to now. … It was scary because I was a regular starter at Sporting, played for the national team when I was 15, all of these great things, and to leave it all was kind of a blind move, a shot in the dark.”
The move paid off for Olathe West and Muñoz, who put together perhaps the most impressive two-year high school soccer career in Kansas history. As a senior, the Liberty University commit recorded 36 goals and 19 assists and led the Owls to a 20-1 record and the Class 6A state title, the school’s first-ever state championship in a team sport. He was also named MVP of the High School All-American game. Muñoz finished his Olathe West career with 53 goals and 28 assists.
For his accomplishments as a senior, Muñoz was not only named the Gatorade Kansas Boys Soccer Player of the Year, he became the first Kansas athlete to win the Gatorade National Player of the Year award in any sport since the program began in 1985. And it would be hard to argue anyone was more deserving of the award which recognizes exemplary off-the-field character and high academic achievement along with athletic excellence.
The 5-foot-7 forward was much more than just an outstanding soccer player for his high school. Muñoz, who maintained a 3.97 GPA, took part in a mission trip to Mexico to assist underprivileged youth last summer and led his soccer team’s food drive last year as well. He was also part of Olathe West’s OWLS student-leadership organization and won the Olathe Noon Optimist Club’s community leader award.
Not only is Jony Muñoz a top soccer prospect, but he has dedicated his time to underprivileged youth in Mexico and holds an A average in the classroom. And now Jony can add to this resume, that he is the 2019-20 National Boys Soccer #GatoradePOY pic.twitter.com/YjPioT8GpO
— Gatorade (@Gatorade) June 22, 2020
“He’s a once-in-a-generation kid that I don’t know if we’ll ever have again,” Trumpp said.
And if not for a faith-led decision to step away from Sporting KC for the chance to just be a more normal student-athlete, both Muñoz and Olathe West would’ve missed out on two special years.
“He legitimately wanted to go to youth groups on Wednesday nights and wanted to play his guitar in the band at church,” said Trumpp, who also coached Muñoz at Sporting KC prior to taking the job at Olathe West in 2017. “He grew up across the street from Olathe West, all of his friends were playing for me in high school. He didn’t feel left out, so to say, but he didn’t feel like what he was doing at Sporting was fulfilling what he was on this earth to do.”
“I think I made the right decision,” Muñoz said, “and down the path I’m going right now it’s looking good for the future.”
The future will likely still include a professional career, but not before Muñoz takes his talents to the NCAA Division I college level. Muñoz was originally looking to stay closer to home for college, but then Liberty head coach Kelly Findley reached out and invited Muñoz to Lynchburg, Va. for a visit. Findley and Muñoz had already developed a relationship when both were at Sporting KC.
“It was a no-brainer,” Muñoz said. “Coming to a faith-based school and the soccer program being led by Kelly who I knew very well was just key to me to know that I’m going to be in a quality program that’s building up right now. And I’m going to grow as a student and in my faith, which is most important.”
Following his faith led Muñoz to historic high school achievements and a two-year experience that he wouldn’t trade. He knew the chance to turn pro would be there for him again when the time is right, and he’ll continue to follow the path he chose to fulfill that dream.
“My goal is definitely to sign a contract,” Muñoz said. “I kind of took a step back a couple years ago when I could’ve, but I’m super excited now. I know God’s plan for me is perfect and things happened the way they happened and now I’m here at Liberty and I’m really focused on the season…But when the opportunity to go pro comes, I will definitely take it.”
460,000 players. 12,511 soccer programs. And @jonymunozz is the most decorated high school athlete in the history of Kansas HS sports. Best part is that he puts himself second in all he does. Proud is an understatement. @olatheschools @Gatorade @OWNovacekOWLS @ADButlerOW @aweb9 pic.twitter.com/jFoTOlckbK
— Olathe West Soccer (@MattTrumpp) June 18, 2020
