Edmond Santa Fe High School’s Caden Hudgins is a senior this year and a center midfielder for the varsity soccer team. Hudgins started playing soccer when he was six years old. The senior has continued to improve his skill set to help his team win this season.
“I feel my biggest strength is my ability to read the field and anticipate what the best place to put the ball, so my team has the best chance to be successful. My ability to control the speed of the game while in possession of the ball is what I’ve improved this year,” said Hudgins.
When it’s game time, Hudgins said he likes to focus and visualize the game.
“I have a couple of things; I focus on visualizing my technique so I can focus on what needs to happen in order to make it happen. Listening to music allows me to visualize where I need to be throughout the game,” said Hudgins.
Hudgins said former and current teammates have left a big impression on him.
“Dakota Brash has developed into one of the most complete players on our team and that has inspired me to work even harder,” Hudgins said. “Brody Smith is hands down one of the funniest players we have and as for most serious that has to be Luke Kinder and his all- business approach to every practice ensures we stay focused when it’s game time. I love are ability to not give up on each other. We all have experienced losing and missing assignments, so no one is perfect. This has allowed us to development together.”
Over the years of playing at ESF, Hudgins has made many great memories.
“My freshman year I got to play alongside my brother [Josh]. Our entire life we never got to play on the same team until I made it to high school. He was our team captain, and I would have followed him into the gates of hell if that’s where he needed me to play,” said Hudgins. “Second is qualifying for the 6A playoffs for the first time in seven years. We played every game like lights out. So many players stepped up to make last year a season to remember.”
As for life after high school, Hudgins said he will take everything he’s learned on the field and apply it to life.
“To take the lessons we learned, the friendships we made and remember what playing on a team feels like with us so we can apply it to everything we will face. So many experiences we can apply to our future selves that most kids that didn’t play a team sport would understand,” said Hudgins.
