When Joplin place kicker Keaton Huff picked up the game of football six years ago, his dream was to be able to play it at the collegiate level.
He realized that dream with family by his side after signing his letter of intent as a kicker for Evangel University on Friday at Joplin High School.
“It means a lot to me that the hard work I’ve put in the last six years of playing football has led me to continue playing at the next level and reaching my dreams of being a college athlete,” Huff said to SoMo Sports.
Of course, dedication to a sport can make the accomplishments even more fulfilling. Putting his name to paper, sealing his future for the next several years is something Huff won’t soon forget.
“It means everything to me because of the countless hours of work I’ve put into kicking between practice, camps and work on my own,” Huff said. “Seeing it pay off in the end and being able to play a sport I love for another four years is a blessing.”
When looking for a university to continue your education and athletic career can be a daunting task. With so much information available, sometimes all it takes is a visit before you know where you want to be. For Huff, that is exactly what he found at Evangel.
“Evangel attracted me the minute I stepped on campus because of how upfront they were with me about how things were going to be in college,” Huff said. “My education was a big part of my decision, so I wanted to go somewhere with a great pre-nursing program. Evangel’s partnership with the local hospital will provide a great learning opportunity that allows more hands-on experience.”
Huff was quick to point out that his time at Joplin High School was instrumental in developing him into a collegiate student-athlete. His time as an Eagle is something he will always cherish because it gave him an understanding of the work ethic needed to be successful.
“High school workouts were so much different than I expected,” Huff said. “The level of intensity is heightened because our football coaching staff knows they represent the whole community of Joplin and want to make them proud. Because of this, I was able to develop into a much stronger, faster athlete by taking weight lifting all four years of high school along with speed school and preseason workouts for football.”
