Get to know Martinsville soccer and football player Ethan Haenlein
MARTINSVILLE, Ind. — Let me introduce you to Ethan Haenlein also known as 鈥淜icker Dude.鈥� Ethan is a senior at Martinsville High School. He鈥檚 the 鈥渒icker鈥� for the varsity football team and also an impressive varsity soccer player. Ethan has played soccer for 12 years and football for 3.5 years.
Ethan said he has played club soccer for the majority of those years in Westfield/Carmel and has traveled the states playing in big tournaments and games.聽 He can be found wearing number 17 and plays center back which is a defensive position.
Jumping over to the football field, I remember seeing Ethan on the field and wondered,鈥� Where did this kiddo come from?鈥�, because he was not a familiar face. I asked him how football came to be.聽 鈥淚 started my freshman year when I went to kick some footballs just for fun,鈥� he said. 鈥淢y dad recorded me kicking and sent it to someone who sent it to someone and eventually the video made it to the head football coach at that time, Carter Witson. Coach Witson invited me to join the team and the rest is history.鈥�
I asked Ethan if the two sports were similar in kicking. 鈥淎s far- fetched as this may seem the two sports are not very alike for me,鈥� he related. 鈥淜icking a ball is kicking ball, yes, but to do it well and have the right technique I kick a soccer ball and football completely different in order to get the maximum amount of success I can from each sport.鈥�
It鈥檚 also quite impressive for an athlete to participate in two sports in the same season. 鈥淪winging two sports is pretty physically demanding especially on the legs but the coaches make it pretty easy and it goes very smooth.鈥� He usually practices 2-3 days for football and then heads over to soccer practice once he鈥檚 done kicking. He never wants to over kick in a week to avoid an injury and it鈥檚 also important to remain as fresh as possible for Friday night football games.
Ethan鈥檚 most memorable moments:聽 鈥淭he Soccer moment would probably be scoring the winning PK (Penalty Kick) 聽against Greenwood this year and celebrating with my team after.鈥� For football,聽 鈥淢y first field goal. Seeing the ball go through the uprights feels amazing considering I have one job and I did it right Football gives an adrenaline rush like I’ve never had before. When I make a field goal or kick a touchback, the praise and happiness I get is undeniably amazing.鈥�
I couldn鈥檛 help but find out Ethan鈥檚 longest kick. 鈥淢y longest field goal is a 44- yarder in an actual game but in practice I’ve hit a 60-yard field goal.鈥�
Ethan, what about college plans?聽 鈥淚 don’t have my eye on a specific college but I do think it would be fun to play collegiate- level sports. If I had to choose one sport to do in college I would choose football because kicking in front of thousands of people could be the most insane feeling.鈥�
聽鈥淓than is an amazing young man and a hard worker,鈥� according to Head Football Coach Dugger. 鈥淗e works hard at his craft and puts in a lot of time. He is hands down the best kicker I have ever coached.鈥澛�
聽鈥� Ethan is the definition of leadership and hard work,鈥� this from Head Soccer Coach Spina. Coach Spina has watched Ethan grow his craft since seventh grade. 鈥淓than鈥檚 attitude and leadership qualities are infectious and his work ethic is unmatched. If he is not at football practice working on kicking, he is staying late or arriving early to soccer to work on free kicks.鈥澛�
聽It is important to Ethan to make sure to thank everyone for his success including all coaches and mentors who have helped him along the way and mainly his amazing parents who support him in all his athletic endeavors.
Kicker Dude, we know you will continue to make Martinsville proud!聽 We look forward to following you!
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