by By Dan Ninham
A high school boys’ lacrosse player shoots the ball on goal at a range of 70-85 mph. It takes someone extra special to want to be the goalie.
Hudson King, 17, is from the Oneida Nation in WI. He will be a senior next school year at Oneida Nation HS.
“My Onyota’a:ka name is Tehanhohoht and translates to, ‘He Closes Door’ and I belong to the Turtle Clan,” said Hudson. “I play field lacrosse for the Oneida Nation Thunderhawks and for the True Wisconsin club team out of Milwaukee, WI.”
“My main accomplishments were winning a state championship with the Oneida community team my first year picking up a stick,” said Hudson. “We also went to Omaha, NE for nationals and we won the gold. At the age of 15, I made the final 28 man roster for the Iroquois Nationals U19 team.”
“The main tribal core values that defines me as an athlete are always having a strong mind and good intentions,” said Hudson. “This is especially playing this medicine game because you’re not just playing for yourself or the name on front of your jersey. You’re also playing for those who are sick or for those that are no longer with us and you have to have a strong mind for them while you play.”
“My goal as an athlete is to play college lacrosse after high school,” said Hudson. “I’m planning on going to Onondaga Community College to keep my lacrosse career going.”
“Going into my sophomore year of lacrosse we got two weeks into practice and then I ended up breaking my femur off of my pelvis,” said Hudson. “They found a cyst inside the ball of my femur that’s been growing for four to five years. I now have a metal plate going down half of my femur and nine screws holding it in place.”
“This young man is always ready to take on the challenge of working to improve his play as a lax goalie,” said Artley Skenandore, ONHS Athletic Director and 9-12 Principal. “He dedicates the time to talk to his teammates while in the game to make sure they are positioned to defend the goal.”
“Communication is the most important task at hand in the heat of the game and he is the initiator and quarterback of the team. Hudson enjoys learning and now has a focus to finish high school and accept the challenge to work hard to get to the next level of playing lacrosse,” added Artley.
“Hudson celebrates his identity,” said Artley. “He has an appetite for learning more culture to round out his leadership capability that extends beyond the sports to how he supports his family in the community. Hudson has a big heart to help others.”
“My late father William King was my mentor,” said Hudson. “My father always showed me that no matter what life throws at you, you keep pushing forward and stay strong throughout it all. He always pushed me to do bigger and better things no matter what it was in if that’s school, lacrosse, or life. He always wanted the best for me no matter the circumstances.”
“Butch Summers has been my lacrosse coach for the last five years,” said Hudson. “He always treated me like I was one of his own kids and helped me through a lot if that’s lacrosse or just life. He’s always been a huge help for me throughout the past couple years.”
“I got to meet Hudson at one of our lax recruitment camps,” said Butch Summers, ONHS lacrosse coach. “I was handling the goalie station when this little ‘big’ kid came over. He wasn’t too interested in the goalie position, but he was having fun being at the camp. I found out he would be playing for U11’s at that time. I give credit to Ernest Stevens III for putting him in goal, after trying him at every position there is, thus starting his career at the keeper position.”
“As a coach, you make bonds with the players. Hudson was no different, watching him come up from the 11’s to present day has been inspiring. He has been through a lot, with the passing of his dad Bill, and a hip replacement. He was at the bottom of a mountain looking up, not sure of anything. The coaches and family made sure he stayed focused,” added Butch.
“After hip surgery he needed to go to a different style of goaltending,” said Butch. “This was a huge process and a frustrating time for him, but he got through it with a little soul searching added.”
“Hudson has been out east with the Iroquois Nationals development team, won gold with Oneida at the State of the State Games in Omaha, NE and he will be back out east playing for True Lax Wisconsin National Team,” added Butch.
“Hudson has overcome a lot, and I guess that’s why we all have a spot in our heart for him,” said Butch.
“My brother Floyd King has been pushing me to do great things my whole life,” said Hudson. “He’s always been my inspiration throughout life. Showing me paths that are fully capable of taking even if that means if there are a couple bumps in the road.”
“Growing up we have always been competitive with one another always pushing each other to outdo the other,” said Floyd King, Hudson’s older brother. “Always striving to be the best is something we both take pride in, always pushing each other to be the best versions of ourselves whether that be athletically, academically, or something as silly as video games.”
“Hudson’s determination for greatness is something that has separated him from the rest at his position within the state of Wisconsin. Watching him go and compete each game it’s very clear that he hates to lose. When he first picked up a stick they tried him at a few positions which he wasn’t very fond of and I believe he was at a tournament in Wisconsin Dells where they had him play goalie for the first time because the team lacked one,” added Floyd.
“As soon as he stepped foot into the crease the kid was a natural,” said Floyd. “Over the years of him maturing mentally and physically as well as sharpening his skillset as a goalie he has had many people look at him as an up and coming star. His resume’ speaks for itself, and he’s played for multiple selects teams like Alpha, Team Sconnie, True Wisconsin, and most impressive the Iroquois Nationals team.”
“Hudson is a bright young man who not only loves to play lacrosse but loves to play for his community,” said Floyd. “Everyone in Oneida knows who Hudson is, he more than always has a big smile on his face and is very loving and welcoming to all people.”
“You’ll see him respectfully talking to our elders as well as talking to our youth in encouraging and inspiring ways. If I had to describe Hudson in one word it would be ‘Lacrosse’ because the kid eats, breathes, and sleeps the sport. Lacrosse was also the biggest connection between Hudson and our late father William J. King who passed in 2018. The loss of our father took a toll on everyone but especially Hudson who was only 14 years old at the time,” added Floyd.
“Lacrosse is a way for him to feel reconnected with our Dad which is another reason he cherishes every minute of field time he gets,” said Floyd. “Hudson is a gifted young man who fought long and hard to get to where he is at. At the ripe age of 17 he has gone through many trials and tribulations through life but the one thing that has never changed would be his love for the game.”
Mike Ruggiero of Team Wisconsin has been my coach for two years now and he’s a terrific coach,” said Hudson. “He’s really seen some potential in me especially after my leg injury. He’s a coach that always wants the best for his players no matter what. He’s a pedal to the metal type of coach that I like.”
“Hudson is a great kid,” said Mike Ruggiero, coach of Team Wisconsin. “Incredibly kind and genuine, not to mention a fantastic player between the pipes and on the box floor.”
“His love and passion for the game are extremely evident. Represented not only by the work he puts in outside of practice, but by the dedication and resilience he’s shown battling back from a pretty severe hip injury,” added Mike.
“I’m extremely excited to see what he’s able to do on the field this summer for my Wisconsin Elite program, but also during his senior year of high school and beyond,” said Mike.
“I look up to Mark Burnam as a coach and as a person,” said Hudson. “He’s always bringing around that good energy when he’s on the field at either practice or a game. He always pushes everyone to their limits and wants to see everyone succeed on his team.”
“Huddy as we call him first struck me as being older when I first saw him,” said Mark Burnam, Iroquois Nationals development director. “I mean this young man has the body of a 24 year old. I found it hard to believe that he was one of the youngest guys at our U19 Iroquois Nationals try-outs. He has a presence in the goal and although still raw I see tons of potential.”
“The future will be a bright one for this young man I am sure. I am anxious to see what is to come when he gets around experienced players and keeps working as hard as he does,” added Mark.
“Little story,” said Mark. “So the phone rings and Hudson says ‘I have some bad news Coach.’ This was months back when he called. ‘Well Coach, I just had a really bad fracture and it happened going downstairs.’ I think that is what he said. Now I was shocked to hear a man of his stature had broken anything in the first place unless it was done either in an accident or something very heavy fell on him. But he said it again that he was just walking basically. l was floored that he was really upset because that would mean he would probably miss the ‘Worlds’ and he definitely would have if not for that savior Covid-19!”
“Well in this case it helped our goalie Hudson buy some time and heal,” said Mark. “I know he is working hard and will continue to and we look for him to be back 100 percent.”
“Let’s see what happens now and only time will tell,” added Mark.
Photo Credit: Tehaluwati Sickles
