Good athletes are everywhere, it only takes a little talent to be good. Great athletes however, are harder to find. These competitors are built through the process. It is a journey full of sweat, tears, and blood… day in and day out. Somehow, great athletes fall in love with this process and that is what makes them great.

 

Kaden Sutton was recently named Elite All-State for the 2019 football season. However he has plenty more accolades worth mentioning. In his 2018 season (junior season) as well as in 2019 (senior season), Kaden was named 1st team all district and 1st team all state for his two main positions: Offensive Line and Defensive Line.

 

Great players are often great because of their love for the game. Kaden is no different. His love for the game of football has surrounded him with people who also love the game. It has given him opportunities to perform in front of stands of fans and compete with his teammates, his brothers. Football isn’t an easy sport however. It takes a lot of work outside a person’s comfort zone; it requires focus, speed, strength, and countless hours of practice.  This doesn’t hinder Kaden and his love for the sport. In fact this is what Kaden thrives on. “I love football because it makes you physically and mentally tough. This is helpful with everyday life.” Every time he is outside his comfort zone, every tough workout, every sacrifice, prepares him for the rest of his life. 

 

Because he loves the sport, working on his game comes naturally. He recalls putting in an excessive amount of work after a season that didn’t meet up with Sutton’s high standards.“I struggled a lot my sophomore season when I didn’t help out my team as much as I wanted to.” Not wasting any time, he got to work. He hit the gym and made himself better everyday. His opponents put in work, so Sutton put in more. “You can’t afford to take days off.”

 

Kaden Sutton’s talent was seen by many, and his hard work did not go unnoticed. Garrison Carter (ADM’s head football coach) comments, “He has tremendous god-given talents, but more importantly, he has a drive to be great and a work ethic that sets him apart from his competitors.”  It can be easy to look at a great player and assume that they were just born that way. However Kaden is an example of an athlete who loved the process, and put in the work it took to be great.