For many athletes a single moment will start a lifelong passion. For Jax Breitenfield, that moment was from the quiet Sundays watching the Minnesota Vikings games with his dad. Football wasn’t just a game, it was a way to bond with others. This eventually became a dream for Breitenfield that would lead him to the River Falls Wildcats.

As high school came around, football became more than a family tradition. It was about friendship, competition, and a desire to make it to the next level. Hanging out with friends was a great part of football, but “I always knew I wanted to play football in college.” 

In his final high school career minutes, Jax Breitenfield gets lined up against the Minnetonka Skippers.

The obstacles that occurred during these times didn’t stop his passion for football. Jax Breitenfield faced quite a few setbacks, with limited playing time, feeling overlooked, and the physical transformation from being skinny to bulking up enough to compete. “I missed out on time I felt I had earned,” Jax Breitenfield admitted, but he said this fueled him to work harder rather than quitting.

Before big games, Breitenfield had a routine to get physically and mentally prepared. Music and Tiktok helped him clear his mind, while stretching at ETS helped him stay loose and prepared for the Friday night lights.

At Rochester Mayo, Jax Breitenfield (far right) prepares for an evening victory over the Rosemount Irish.

Jax Breitenfield’s favorite moment in his high school career was in a playoff game against Minnetonka. He got his chance to play against them and proved what he could do. He had ten tackles and two tackles for loss in just a short amount of time. Jax Breitenfield had proved to himself that he could definitely keep playing football in college with this game alone. 

Coaches played a huge role in Jax Breitenfield’s success. The fact that he didn’t play helped fuel his dedication and determination to get better. This mentality helped him improve in the weight room, and he saw massive gains.

When It came time for picking a college to go to, Breitenfield landed at Wisconsin River Falls, whose coaches saw his potential, so he thought this was the best choice for him. He also believes that playing for the Wildcats will shape him into a better athlete.

Facing the Eagan Wildcats, Jax Breitenfield finds his target for the opening kickoff.

Jax Breitenfield had a heart full of motivation, enabling him to prove people wrong. When times got tough, a quote that kept him going was from Matthew McConaughey: “My hero is always ten years away. I’m never going to be my hero.” This motivates him to work harder than ever in the weight room and on the field. Since playing for Mayo, Jax Breitenfield has seen major growth not just on the field but in life. He is much more driven and motivated in many ways. 

Most importantly as far as football goes, Jax Breitenfield is starting to believe he is becoming the player he knew he could always be.

Photos courtesy of flick_six/Eli Enke