Camden Lewis wasn’t a kicker before his freshman year of high school. He wasn’t even a football player.
Before he became the first player for the University of Oregon to make a game-winning field goal in over 15 years, he was a soccer goalkeeper at William Amos Hough high school in North Carolina.
Throughout his career as a kicker, he’s skyrocketed to become one of the best in the nation, remaining a perfect 9-for-9 after drilling a 46-yard field goal last weekend in Seattle’s tumultuous weather conditions. He is one of just six kickers to have attempted nine kicks and remained flawless.
“Camden would have excelled at anything he pursued,” his mother Christina Britt Lewis said. “That is just who he is. He does not care what other people think. He is his only competition. Being better than he was yesterday is his goal.”
His journey to Oregon started his freshman year when his high school coach and family friend Steve Sechrest needed a kicker for his junior varsity team football team. At first he wasn’t so sure, but he ended up taking the spot.
In just the fourth game of his football career, Lewis was given the opportunity every kicker dreams of. Losing in the closing seconds of the game, he kicked a 43-yard game-winning kick. This is when Sechrest knew he was special.
“When I first started working with him, he had never kicked a football before,” Sechrest said. “He’s such a teachable, nice kid. He’s so genuine and has so much character.”
As Lewis continued to improve, Sechrest contacted kicking trainer Dan Orner, who trained NFL kickers Bradley Pinion and Ryan Succop. Lewis impressed Orner with his desire to improve and take his game to the next level.
“He’s a staple for hard work,” Orner said. “Every time he comes home, he’ll get off the plane, he’ll have like two, three hours sleep and he’ll be texting me first thing in the morning like, ‘Hey can we get out and kick.’”
When it came down to selecting his college, Lewis’ commitment to Oregon was a last second decision. Before making the choice to come to Eugene, he decommitted from Minnesota.
“The University of Oregon is a very special place,” his mother said. “They do things differently and better at Oregon. Camden was honored and proud to accept the offer from Coach Cristobal and is determined to make him proud.”
Lewis’ time in Oregon wasn’t entirely successful at the start. His first collegiate kick was a miss against Auburn. He ended the season 9/14. After going 1-for-4 last season, he lost the starting job. His parents were still there to support him –– whether it was by being there for him or the times his mother would send memes to keep him laughing.
All his hard work has finally paid off. As just a sophomore, he is the best kicker in the conference, and he still has plenty of room for growth.
“We are where he can come to laugh, shake it off and remember that who he is matters so much more than what he does,” his mom said. “We could not be more proud of who he is. That is all that really matters to us.”
