By Cameron Huston-Anderson
Winter in Eaton is a time of joy for children. Santa is coming to town with his elves. They stand out in the cold shivering, giving out toys to the kids, just so they can have a better Christmas.
Sophomore Ayden Mitchell is a community first guy who puts his time into helping with community events in Eaton.
“In the winter I dress up as an elf for Santa for the Eaton Home for Christmas event, ” Ayden said. “I freeze my butt off every winter just so that we can have the toys for the kids.”
He also helps in the summer by cleaning the baseball and softball fields in Eaton during the summer just to keep the field nice.
Not only does he help clean, he umpires some of the games if they don’t have enough adults.
Friends and family of Ayden can tell that he is a good and compassionate person who loves to help.
His friend Brycen McNeil said, “He is always there for everyone and does whatever needs to be done.”
Ayden also plays sports with some of his friends and family such as his cousin Cameron Deckman, but he has recently had a knee injury. This happened during his summer league baseball game.
When Ayden was playing for his travel summer team the Indiana Prospects, he was pitching in a game and tore his meniscus.
“This was a good time for my injury, because the injury happened right after baseball season right before tennis season,” Ayden said. “I [was] kind of upset because they couldn’t get me in for surgery until later, so I had to wait until surgery.“
This affected Ayden’s strength in his right leg. This made him not able to throw as hard off his drive leg, or the leg he pushes off with when he throws a ball.
Through his surgery he is excited to play in the next season.
“My plans are to do everything I can to make varsity as a pitcher and if not to play my hardest at JV,” he said.
As the upcoming season creeps in, Ayden’s ready. He’s icing his knee and ready to pitch.