Western Hills' Cam Lee decided early on he wanted to be a kicker in football.
And that's what he's devoted his falls to for the past four years.
Lee, a senior at WHHS, is a multi-sport athlete, also playing basketball and baseball for the Wolverines, but in the fall it's all football.
"Football is definitely my favorite," Lee said. "I excel at it, and I think it can give me a good future."
As a youngster Lee started out kicking a soccer ball, taking up the sport when he was 2 years old.
"Growing up I was pretty fanatical about soccer," he said, "but then I kind of got burned out on it. There were times I'd play three games in one day " in Woodford County, here and in Lexington."
Lee gave up soccer when he was 9 but stuck with football, playing in the Frankfort Youth Football League.
"I started out playing flag football and moved up," he said. "I started kicking in the eighth grade (at Bondurant) and I've been kicking ever since."
Lee has been playing football, basketball and baseball each year since the eighth grade, and he plans to do the same this year.
And unlike most area football kickers, he doesn't play soccer.
"I considered playing soccer last year," he said, "but I didn't want to take time away from football and my dedication to football."
This season Lee is averaging 39 yards per punt. He's the Wolverines' third leading scorer with 43 points, having kicked three field goals and 20 extra points. He's missed one extra point this season.
He's also scored 12 points on two touchdowns and two more on a two-point conversion as he's taken on another role this season.
Lee has started at tight end for the Wolverines after seeing some time there last year.
"I played there a little bit last year but I went back to doing just kicking by the end of the year," Lee said. "This year they started hinting at it. I have good hands because of baseball and basketball, so I put them to use."
And WHHS coach Don Miller is glad he did.
"He's been starting at tight end," Miller said. "He's got good hands, and he can do this on top of his kicking. It's definitely helped out our offense for sure."
But it's still kicking the ball that is Lee's strength.
"Coaches have told me I have a lot of college potential," he said. "I've attended camps for kicking, and I went to the Ray Guy camp for two years at Eastern Kentucky. They told me I had good potential to go DI with it."
Lee hasn't decided on a school yet but does plan to continue as a football kicker in college.
He attended a Georgetown College game recently and has received letters from Middle Tennessee, Cincinnati and EKU.
"I'm kind of visiting schools and not taking it too serious right now," Lee said. "Once football season is over I'll go through the whole recruiting process."
A kicker is often the center of attention when he's on the field and as a result, he can be under a lot of pressure.
"It's do or die," Lee said. "You can be the savior or the failure for your team. If you make one everyone loves you, and if you miss one everyone hates you.
"It used to (bother me)," Lee added, "when I was a freshman and sophomore. Since I've grown up a little bit I've overcome it."
To Lee, pressure isn't the toughest part of being a kicker.
"When people ask what position you play and you say kicker, they kind of shoo you off," he said. "It's one position that doesn't get as much respect as everyone else."
But that attitude hasn't stopped Lee.
"It's been my No. 1 priority because kicking is what I'm going to do in college," he said.
During his years as a high school coach Miller has seen several good kickers, but he has high praise for Lee's ability.
"Overall he's probably been the most consistent all around," Miller said. "It's tremendous to see how he's improved since I came in three years ago when he was a sophomore to where he is as a senior.
"He went from barely getting it to the 10-yard line (on kickoffs) to kicking it almost completely out of the end zone," he added. "I'd like to say I had a lot to do with that, but he's done it mostly on his own, working hard and going to camps."
As soon as football ends Lee will join the basketball team.
"I've played three sports since I got in high school, and I did it in the eighth grade, too," he said. "I go straight from one to another, or I work, prepare for football or play summer baseball."
But to Lee, it's all worth it.
"It's just staying out of trouble, spending time with all my friends," he said. "Being a high school athlete is something you only get to do once. It takes away from some other stuff I'd like to do, but I've played sports ever since I was born. I can't imagine life without sports."
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