HOLLAND, Mich. — Holland Christian's 49-20 win over Unity Christian on October 20 was the end of the line for the Maroons. The team finished the year with a 4-5 record, and they did not qualify for the playoffs.
And yet, the following week, Caden VanHuis was out on the turf practicing kicks. Sure, I asked him if I could get some video of him kicking, but he was still setting up the ball on the tee long after our interview was over. I suspect that's what he would've been doing even if I hadn't contacted him about doing a story.
"I was always mesmerized by the ball splitting the uprights," he said, recalling his first memory of kicking a football in the backyard when he was about five years old.
"I enjoy it. If my body never got sore, I would do it all day, every day. I just like the technique that goes into it. It's a good life teacher, with the mental focus you have to have."
Caden has gotten pretty good at his craft. He's been rated a four-star kicker by Kohl's and Kornblue Kicking and in just his junior year, he's already gotten some interest from college teams.
"I attended Central Michigan for a game day visit, and then I was at Michigan State for the big game [against Michigan], and they're both great atmospheres and the coaches were very welcoming. So, I'm excited to continue that journey and see where it where it plays out," he said.
But for Caden, helping the Maroons achieve victory and potentially earning a college scholarship aren't good enough. He wants to use his leg for a higher purpose too.
"I know I have a lot of gifts that I've been blessed with, and some people don't have that same thing. So I was trying to find a way to help God's kingdom with the gifts I've been given," he said.
Caden found his opportunity through an organization called Alex's Lemonade Stand.
"Alex's Lemonade Stand is a foundation that raises money for childhood cancer awareness. It was started by a girl named Alexandra Scott. She had cancer and started a lemonade stand to try to raise money for others in her same situation," Caden said.
"They have a specific program called the Kick It program, which was started by a kid actually in middle school who played football and came down with cancer as well. And so he was trying to raise money as a kicker on his football team for people in that same situation. I thought that was pretty cool."
Caden secured sponsorships that helped raise money for Alex's Lemonade Stand, based on his performance on the football field.
"You can either choose to pledge a certain amount per point scored, or just make an upfront donation. I had a couple people do that, but the majority pledged per point scored. So for every point scored, I would raise a certain amount of money towards this foundation. And I was able to score 36 points this season and raise $4,046," he said.
"At the end of the season, it was cool to look back on how the community has given to me, and I was I was able to use my gifts to honor others and help my community."
Holland Christian's football team may have played its last game of the year, but there is no offseason in the fight against cancer. If you'd like to make a donation to Alex's Lemonade Stand, you can do so through Caden's fundraiser page.
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