CAMDEN — This past fall was the end of a journey for a father-son, coach-player team at Camden-Frontier High School. After coaching his son for nine of his 10 football seasons, Rob Wickham and the Wickham family will now get to watch as Ethan "Worm" Wickham makes the next step in his journey as a student-athlete.
Joined by his family and friends, including stepmom Erica and sister Harper Wickham, Ethan Wickham signed with the Bluffton University football team to continue his football career. It was a decision that came later in his recruiting journey. Originally, Worm was committed to playing for Kalamazoo College, but after visits to Bluffton and time spent with coaches, players and coaching staffs, it became clear Bluffton would be his future home.
“Bluffton just feels more like home,” Wickham said. “Talking with the coaches and players, it feels like a place I can see myself growing, not only as a player, as a student, but spiritually in my faith.”
Wickham thanked Kalamazoo for their time and commitment during his recruiting journey. Part of his decision to go to Bluffton fell on the small-town atmosphere.
It’s just a small-town community with great people and a great environment,” Wickham said. "Bluffton Coach Jacob Zier came down and talked to me, and he kind of won me over with football and being very transparent and telling me what the school is in reality rather than making things up to try and make me go.”
The relentless commitment to recruiting Worm was noticed by his parents, and they saw what the university could do for Wickham both on the gridiron, off the field and in the classroom.
“It was the relentless recruiting by their staff,” Rob Wickham said. “They were very motivated in in trying to attain his talents down there at Bluffton, and after we made a few visits, we felt that it was a better place for him to grow as an academic student, as well as personal and spiritual growth.”
Rob Wickham, as much as he enjoyed the challenge and fun of coaching his son, was just as excited for the challenge of helping him through his recruiting process over the past couple of years.
“Oh it was nerve wracking,” Rob Wickham said. “There were multiple contacts from multiple coaches, and going through the process with him is just as special as coaching from the beginning to the final senior game, the playoff game at Lenawee Christian. But it’s been a tremendous ordeal to be able to do that with him and it was a blessing.”
End of an era
With Ethan graduating from Camden-Frontier, Rob Wickham stepped away from the program to spend more time watching his son play football. While there were challenges along that journey they both took as coach and player, he says that bond through their love of football was important for their relationship and also led to their team success on the football field.
“(It was) a lot of learning,” Rob Wickham said. “It was learning the details, sitting down watching film, a lot of vocal higher range yelling. It can get pretty tumultuous at times, but we both have a love for the game and that came together throughout all the years. The pride that I feel as a father and a coach is tremendous. I'm very proud of what he's accomplished, and yet I feel that he has yet to reach his peak and he's got many great things ahead of him."
Ethan Wickham credited several people for helping him become the player he was and the success he had on the gridiron during his time at Camden-Frontier, including his teammates on the line and at quarterback.
“I wish to thank my dad and everyone that helped put all this together (and) all the people who came out as coaches (Billy, Jake, Ethan Corkle). Also, especially like my teammates, having Logan (Leggett) and Mikey (Rowe) out there throwing me the ball, I couldn’t have done it without them. (I want to thank) all my linemen, (especially) having Brayden (Miller) out there. I mean, he’s a guy that I’d love to have on my team.”
3 playoff appearances
Those four years as a varsity starter, three under his father, paid off with success during fall sprots season. Camden-Frontier's 8-player football team went to the playoffs in 2020, 2022 and 2023. These past two years saw the team earn a 5-4 regular season record in '22 and a 6-3 record in '23.
Both of those seasons saw them earn bids to the regional playoffs in MHSAA 8-player, continuing an impressive program stretch, starting in 2016, of making the playoffs in all but one season of their 8-player football history. Their 2023 season saw them lose just one game to a Hillsdale County rival, where they won their final three games by a combined scoring total of 154-20.
His senior year was a special one. He broke the school career receptions record with a total of 88, accomplishing this with 43 catches, 704 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2023. He was team co-offensive MVP, 1st all-conference at receiver and honorable mention at DB and Co-Captain and first team all-area dream team offense and defense.
His biggest season of his career was also met with recognition at the state level, earning second team all-state at the receiver position.
In addition to his senior season accolades, Wickham's junior year saw him earn first team all-area dream team honors for receiver and honorable mention honors for defensive end. He had 29 catches for 560 yards and five touchdowns. He also had three passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns. On defense, he had 62 tackles, four fumble recoveries and one interception. He also received all-conference honorable mention honors on defense.
As a sophomore, he received honorable mention all-area dream team honors for defense, earning 71 tackles. Worm suffered a fractured ankle that season after playing just seven games. He still tallied 210 receiving yards, 20 catches and two touchdowns during that stretch. He also received honorable mention all-conference honors on defense and offense.
In addition to his football accolades, Wickham has earned a total of 12 varsity letters as a multi-sport athlete. Worm was a successful high jumper for Camden-Frontier. He was a two-time state finals qualifier.
Out of all his memories at Camden-Frontier, his favorite was just after his senior night game, a 56-0 win over Danbury.
"My favorite part of us playing together was senior night, and at the end of the night just sitting there on the field after the game, just looking out and knowing that I’m not going to be playing here again. But I had a great time doing it.”
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