SMART LAD BEN PROVES NO DUD
FOR most young adults, the choice of university boils down to how far from home they want to be, the town’s nightlife and, maybe, the academic reputation of the institution.
For Ben Dudzinski, though, his location could prove the deciding factor in whether or not he makes it as a professional footballer after the 20-year-old landed a contract at Hartlepool.
In 2013, the goalkeeper from South West London was torn between sticking with Non-League Kingstonian, in search of an eventual professional contract, or prolonging his education and hoping something came up along the way.
Dudzinski made the perfect choice, it turns out.
After three years studying sports science at Durham University, during which he spent time training with both Newcastle United and Hartlepool, the Pools have just signed him on a oneyear-deal.
“I really enjoyed my time training with Hartlepool,” he said. “Everyone at the club was great. They’ve got a great fanbase and it is an attractive club – it is just a pleasure and I’m really excited to have been signed by them.
“Before I came to university, I was very much weighing up whether I pursued trying to play professional football then, or if I went to university.
“Obviously, there are certain risks that come with pursuing a career in football, but I think I made the right decision and Durham was somewhere I really wanted to go.
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“I have had a really good time here and, on the football front, I have achieved more than I ever expected to.”
The keeper began training with Newcastle during his second year at university following a friendly against the Magpies’ Under-18s side, whose coaching staff liked what he saw.
Dudzinski was mainly training with Newcastle’s youth sides and reserves but did, on occasion, make an appearance at firstteam training. The link with Hartlepool came about in his final year after a pre-season conversation with Pools goalkeeping coach Tony Caig led to a coaching session with the university keepers.
Several months later, Caig got in touch with Dudzinski and that set in motion his contract with Craig Hignett’s side.
“I was there at their penultimate session of the season and I’d arranged to have a chat (with Caig) for some advice on how I was doing and where I could look to get trials,” he added.
“But, with ten minutes of the session to go, he said ‘go and have a chat with the gaffer before you leave’.
“I hadn’t really spoken to him that much, just a couple of small chats.
“So I went into his office and had a good talk. He said ‘we want to offer you something’, which was a bit of a shock.
“I knew it was my aim and that it was realistic in terms of getting signed at some point this summer, but I did not anticipate it happening so quickly.”
Dudzinski will now spend the rest of May finishing his exams and trying to get a 2:1, before stepping up his training and joining up with Hignett’s squad when they return for pre-season.
The New Malden youngster has signed for just one year but is relishing the chance to test himself as a professional. “I have never previously had the opportunity to be in a pro club for so long, so I am looking forward to making the most of it,” he added.
“I spoke to the gaffer a bit about where he sees me, but he just wants to give me the opportunity of being in a professional environment and seeing where that takes me.”