Fennville's Aidan Swingle moves to running back in new Blackhawk era
FENNVILLE - Many members of the 2023 Fennville Blackhawks’ football team are getting their first taste of varsity football. Among a young team, junior Aidan Swingle looks to lead the young guys as well as first-year coach Wendell Hughes Sr. in the full-house T offense.
As a sophomore, Swingle dominated for Fennville. On offense, he was a reliable receiver, catching 30 balls for a team-high 644 yards and nine touchdowns. In the return game, he boasted an average of 29.1 yards per return. On defense, he was equally impressive, totaling 44 tackles including a sack. He added three fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles.
Going into this season, he is laser-focused on elevating his play to another level. Swingle wants to earn honors in the conference and the state.
“I want to be an All-Conference, All-State running back,” Swingle said. “It’ll take effort from myself and the team, I can’t do any of that without them; I need them to be there for me and I’ll be there for them.”
His instant success as a sophomore on the varsity team was improbable, as he didn’t play as a freshman. His playing days began in middle school, but decided to take a one-year hiatus before returning.
“In middle school, I started playing rocket football, but when I got to high school I wanted to take a break from it,” Swingle said. “When I came back sophomore year, I started right away on defense, so I pushed myself harder and harder until I was able to be a full-time starter on offense and defense.”
Following the season, Swingle got right to work, getting in the weight room to prepare for this season. His workload ramped up in the summer, as he worked a 9-5 job in Plainwell and returned to Fennville three days a week to lift weights and work on his skills with his teammates.
While he would come into the weight room exhausted, the excitement in his teammates when he showed up gave him extra energy and motivation to be a leader.
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“This summer I worked out in Plainwell, got there at 9 and worked until 5, then I’d drive to Fennville to practice,” Swingle said. “Everyone smiles when they see me come in, they’re so happy. I’m so grateful for them.”
Team chemistry is one of Swingle’s most important qualities for his team. He understands the role his teammates play in his individual success, as well as motivating each other to have a great 2023 season.
While it has been an adjustment for Swingle being one of the older players instead of one of the younger players, he has seen vast improvements among the freshmen and sophomores, especially with Hughes at the helm.
“When we started doing defense, it wasn’t put together right away,” “Coach (Hughes) started teaching the younger guys how to do it and they’re learning. We’re all focused, working hard and learning.”
Hughes’ positivity and care for him and his teammates has been a huge part of bringing the team together and it has rubbed off on the rest of the team.
“I see potential this year, we’re pushing ourselves and working hard on and off the field,” Swingle said. “Our team has great people; they’re always positive and they make it fun to play the game.”
Fennville opens the season Aug. 24 against Lake Michigan Catholic. Swingle will get his first action as the feature running back and will look to start his quest for All-Conference and All-State honors on the right foot.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Fennville's Aidan Swingle moves to running back in new Blackhawk era
