BERWICK, Pa. — For his entire life, Caden Smith dreamed of playing football. After the late Greater Nanticoke Area High School Head Coach Scott Dennis passed away in August, Caden continues to play in honor of his mentor.
"It's always been my dream. Me and my uncle's dream, and he died, so I'm doing it for him and for Coach Dennis," said Caden Smith, Nanticoke Area football player.
However, Caden’s presence on the field is a recent addition to the team. Previous coaches at the other schools Caden attended never let him play because he lives with autism.
"They wouldn't give him the chance to do it, to play. They said, 'No, that he couldn't, they didn't want to take the responsibility, things like that,'" said Debbie May, Caden's Grandmother.
That is until Caden met Scott Dennis, the late head coach of the Nanticoke Area Trojans.
"He learned how to stand. He learned how to play football,” said Ben Kovaleski, a family friend. “If you seen him with Coach Dennis in the beginning, he couldn't even understand that, and then Coach Dennis walked out and showed him 'Here's where you move your foot, here's what you do,' and Coach Dennis is like a father to him."
"Coach Dennis gave him a chance. Now this kid is like, I don't know how to explain it. He's so happy. He comes home every night, happy as can be. Talks about football constantly," added May.
That all changed when Coach Scott Dennis unexpectedly passed away just days before the season. The coaching staff honored his wishes, and Caden continues to be part of the team.
"He sits with the team at the caf table at the cafeteria at school. He's always willing to fight, he takes the pride of what Trojan football means, takes everything we teach him and coach him to heart, and I've definitely seen him as a positive, great and young individual," Ron Bruza, Nanticoke Interim Head Coach.
After the football season is over, Caden wants to continue pursuing sports, following the advice of the man who took a chance on him.
"He's going to go for wrestling and fencing. He's going to try. He doesn't know if he could do it, but he's going to try because Coach Dennis told him to go wrestling once football is over," said Kovaleski.