Being a senior is a special time for young kids as they are about to embark on the world they knew growing up, and Eastern senior Kaden Temple is no different as he is excited to be able to call himself a high school graduate in a few months.

Photo by Brody Temple“As of right now, my future plans are somewhat vague,” Temple said. “I would like to play basketball in college. I am looking towards getting a degree in finance. Well there is a lot that I would like to say to the underclassmen. First, enjoy the moments because they go by quickly. Never take a game/event for granted. There is no formula for success. It only comes from a peace of mind knowing you did your best.”

Whether you go to a small school or a big school, the education is the same and the friends you make come along with the territory.

“Going to a small school like Eastern was probably like any other high school,” Temple said. “Because we are small, most of the same kids do everything at school (sports, leadership, etc.) I think for a small school, we have good athletes and good students. I’m fairly close with all of my classmates and my teachers.”

It was easier for him to attend Eastern as his family has attended the same school for generations, so I was just a natural fit for him.

“My family has attended Eastern for many generations,” Temple said. “My dad played basketball at Eastern. He has helped make me into the player I am now. My brother is a sophomore. We enjoy getting to play together.”

As a player, you try and win as much as you can and in his case and the Musketeers basketball team they had a successful run in the Washington County Invitational by winning it three straight years from his freshman year to his junior year and this year, they fell in the championship game to Borden.

“Winning that championship the past three years was amazing,” Temple said. “It was definitely a highlight of each season. It meant so much to me because the team had been so bad for so many years, and it was good being able to change that.

“Obviously losing this past one was difficult. I wish I would have been 100 percent healthy. They played a better game than us, and that is usually what it takes to win.”

During his first two years, Chandler Prible was his coach and his last two season Ray Weatherford has been coaching the Musketeers, and Temple things have been different between the two coaches.

“Yea playing for both Coach Prible and Weatherford has been very different,” Temple said. “They both have different philosophies when it comes to offense. The defense has remained similar for the most part. Another difference though is their age.

“Coach Weatherford uses a lot of old school drills and terminology. Whereas, Prible had more modern drills and terms. Overall, I have enjoyed playing under both coaches and they have helped grow me into the man I am today.”

Now, the Musketeers are halfway through their season and they are at 5-7 (1-2) after a recent win over conference foe Austin, but Temple was late joining the team this year.

“Well the holiday tourney games were my first games this season,” Temple said. “I did not play in our first five games because I was recovering from a clavicle break I had during football. I truly think we would be right where we were last year if I would have started off the season at 100 percent. In our first couple games, we were lacking some leadership and a go to scorer. I will be able to bring this to the team as I continue to get more comfortable playing again.”

Scoring has been down this season and they are giving up more points than last year, but with his return those averages could change over the final 10 games of the season.

“Yea our scoring and defensive averages are down but they will get better,” Temple said. “The first couple of games were difficult for the guys because they had to step up and guard some people that they usually don’t. They also had to step up in their scoring too. I think everyone is still adjusting to their roles on the team. As I continue to get back into the groove, the averages will start to look like last years.”

The Musketeers play in a very tough Mid-Southern Conference with several of the teams capable of going far in the tournament, but the thing that holds them all back is the fact they either compete against each other in Class 3A or Class 2A.

“The conference is very tough,” Temple said. “There are so many good teams, and you have to be ready to play your best every night. I’m not sure what we were picked this year. I don’t really get into that because I know most people probably didn’t think we would be good since we lost Cherry and Yancey. In general, I don’t think people believe that we can win in the conference.”

Having goals is something good to shoot for and Temple is no different in the sports he plays.

“My main goals are just to have fun every night and come out with a W,” Temple said. “There were a few records I would like to have, but those aren’t going to be my main focus. I just go into every game looking to win. I usually don’t look forward to any specific game. They each have a similar significance. Some of my favorite wins from the past have come from games that I wasn’t expecting to be excited about. I probably won’t get extra excited about a game until after it is over.”

Temple plays the point guard, but once he gets back into the game he will shift to playing off the ball more. “I just need to start knocking down some shots. I think that will come as I start playing more,” he said. “Obviously, the game comes down to who scores the most points. However, I would say that there is a home court advantage. As a player, I feel more comfortable driving to school and getting ready rather than riding a bus over to the game. But honestly it really doesn’t make a big difference.

“I have been playing the game for as long as I can remember,” Temple said. “My dad has helped me in so many ways. He has been with me through every step. There have been many other individuals in my life that have influenced my game.”

This past fall, Temple played football for the first and he enjoyed his time on the grid iron. As for the Musketeers football team this year they finished 5-7 and played in the sectional championship game.

“Yea Football was a big decision for me this year,” Temple said. “The main reason I decided to play this year was because I was tired of watching the football team lose all of the time. I thought I could help make the team successful. I wanted to change the culture around the football team at school. There were multiple factors that led to the five wins. Honestly, I think we could have and should have won one or two more games. But we got a good draw for sectionals, which helped. Our team had much better athletes than the teams we won against in sectionals.

“We had multiple athletes that made the team well rounded on both sides of the ball. I played on both sides of the ball. Wide receiver on offense and corner on defense. I had a lot of fun making plays. Whether it would be a big catch on offense or a crucial tackle on defense. I will say there were times that were really frustrating. I wish the group would have been less selfish.”

Temple also ran on the cross country and track teams in their respective seasons.

Name: Kaden Temple

Hometown: Salem

Parents: Jason and Laura Temple

GPA: 4.0

Clubs: Student Council, NHS, LeaderInMe, Yearbook, 4-H

Favorite food: Chicken Alfredo

Favorite College Team: Purdue

Favorite Cartoon as a Kid: Young Justice

Favorite book: The Mamba Mentality

Quote: “Acquire peace of mind by making the effort to become the best of which you are capable”

What was it like attending EHS: It’s been a roller coaster ride for sure. I wouldn’t trade it. I value everything that the school has done for me