YORK COUNTY, Pa. — When Delone Catholic senior kicker Nolan Kruse attended a kicking camp this summer in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, he was introduced to Alex's Lemonade Stand, a foundation fighting to end childhood cancer.
At the organization's stand at the camp, he saw a sign-up form with only one name on the list and knew instantly he had to make it two.
"I just hate seeing kids that don't have these opportunities. They don't get the opportunity to even go outside and play an athletic activity," said Kruse. "It sucks to see. I want to be able to do something for those kids."
Kruse has teamed up with the organization to raise money for the foundation's mission through the thing he loves to do most: kicking. On top of donations, family members, teammates and other community members are pledging to support the cause for every kick Kruse makes this season. With a fundraiser goal of $2,500 by Nov. 8, Kruse has already raised more than $1,300 as of late September.
"It makes it a little extra special. It's like an extra extra point," said Kruse. "I got to do this for these kids. After I make [each kick], I'm like, 'There's another dollar. I did my job.'"
However, there was another reason much closer to home that pushed Kruse to write his name down on that signup form in Tennessee. Delone Catholic Special Teams Coach Mark Leonard was diagnosed with cancer in his jaw last October. Kruse's bond with Leonard has grown over the years, and when his mentor was faced with something he never thought would happen, he knew he had to give back to the coach that gave so much to him.
"It's just an extra drive and extra motivation [that gives] another reason besides these kids that don't get these opportunities," said Kruse. "It's just a closer connection to you."
A gesture between player and mentor, that meant the world.
"It means a lot. I didn't have a clue he was going to do that," said Leonard. "It's very meaningful, it's very special, and it's heartfelt. Nolan's a good kid. He is very nice. He gets along with everybody, and he comes out and does his job and does it well. So that doesn't surprise me one bit that he's doing that."
An easy decision for Kruse to turn his gameday job into something that will impact a much bigger team.
"If you see the opportunity, and you just don't like to see people who are in these bad opportunities, these struggling times, and you have the opportunity, I say take it," said Kruse.
For more information or to help support Nolan Kruse's cause and make a contribution to his "Kicking Childhood Cancer" campaign, head to his Alex's Lemonade Stand page.