FSLM Student Profile

Meet Kaden McFadden, A Pleasant Grove Graduate Living Out His Childhood Dream
By Reese Langdon

(photo by shane darby)

The number one is symbolic of many things: winning, beginnings, individualism, wholeness. However, for upcoming senior Kaden McFadden, under Pleasant Grove High School’s Friday-night lights, “1” represents honor and legacy. Kaden proudly wears his late father’s old number on his back as he plays as a safety and rover. He plays for his team, coaching staff, family in the stands, and father and grandfather looking down on him from above. 

“Losing my dad and grandpa within a year was probably the hardest thing I’ve had to overcome,” Kaden reflected. “My dad and I were close throughout my childhood, but when he got locked up, I couldn’t really keep in touch with him. He was murdered during football season two years ago.” 

Kaden started playing football when he was three, and his father set Liberty Eylau football records when he was in high school, so the two always had football connecting them. When his father’s life was unexpectedly taken, Kaden was in a cloud of confusion, he recalled.

“When my mom gave me the news, I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t know what to do. I was just sitting in the dark at my kitchen table,” Kaden said. “The next day, I went to school trying to hold it all in, but then my coach pulled me out of school, and I just started bawling.” 

Then, not even a year later, Kaden was once again struck with the familiar pain of loss.

“[My grandpa] was old and getting sick a lot, so we all knew it was going to happen,” Kaden said. “I visited him a few times while he was in the assisted living facility, but the day before he died, I didn’t go. I didn’t want to see him that bad, but as soon as I got the news he was gone, I regretted not seeing him instantly. Getting over that feeling of regret was very hard.” 

Through obstacle after obstacle, Kaden persevered, and because of that perseverance, he received 23 offers from universities all over the country. It is no surprise that Pleasant Grove’s own stood out to so many universities, for Kaden is decorated with many achievements. 

(submitted photo)

“I was voted newcomer of the year for my district, and I was an all-state player my sophomore year. I was nominated by THSCA [Texas High School Coaches Association] to be a part of the Super Elite Team my junior year,” Kaden proudly said. Beyond his athletic achievements, he also maintains a 3.9 GPA.

With impressive offers from all over the nation, Kaden had a daunting task ahead of him—choosing one school of the 23 that wanted him. After much consideration, he chose Duke University because of the “coaching staff, players, degree, and facilities,” he said. 

Before visiting the campus and team in Durham, North Carolina, Kaden had doubts that he would feel at home at the school, but these proved to be unwarranted.

“When I went down there, a concern I had was how I would fit in with the players,” Kaden admitted. “I honestly thought they were going to be kind of geeky because it’s Duke, a very prestigious school, but I fit in with them just like I do at Pleasant Grove.”

Kaden made his decision to attend Duke with the future and his loved ones in mind.

“I am very confident in my decision,” he said. “I know I won’t always be able to play football, and going to Duke will allow me to have a very great job afterwards. My goal in life is to be able to provide for my family, whether that’s through the sport I love or a great job. After Duke, hopefully I make it to the [NFL]. If not, I just want a job that gives me enough money so that I can give my children and wife their wants and needs. I also want to be able to buy my mom a house and my older sister a car.” 

Kaden recognizes the love and support his mother has always gifted him. This is why, as he anticipates the many big changes coming his way, he is not letting go of the woman most important to him, no matter the distance between them. 

“My biggest supporter is definitely my mom,” Kaden stated. “She has made so many sacrifices for me throughout my life: buying me football and baseball equipment, paying for hotel fees when we were traveling, and just being the best mom she can be. She’s also a single parent with four kids, and I know taking care of all of us hasn’t been the easiest thing in the world. At one point, she had to work two jobs to be able to provide for me and my siblings, but she always seemed to manage.”

It takes a village to raise a child, and thankfully, Kaden’s mother was not in it alone.

“[My mom] also kept me around male role models that I could look up to. One in particular is David Potter. He and his family took me in like I was one of their own. I will always be grateful for them,” Kaden said. 

Soon, the time will come when Kaden McFadden will retire his black and gold jersey with the significant number one printed on the back. 

“I can’t really tell how it’s going to feel [leaving Texarkana] right now, but when I do leave, I think it will be hard just because I’m going to a new place with new people that I don’t know. I will also be excited to start the new chapter in my life and meet new people,” Kaden said. “Committing to Duke means that I have accomplished a childhood dream of mine.”