Earning Their Trust

By Justin Braden

Indianapolis, IN –

Trust is earned – not given. Aden Chase never asks for trust, but ask anyone who knows him and they will say that he has earned it. 

As a junior, the 5 foot 11, 160-pound defensive back out of Cathedral High School (IN) first gained an opportunity to earn that trust, after winning the right to a starting role in Cathedral’s defense in his third season of football at the school. 

The trust that Chase has earned from his coaching staff and teammates is quickly evident in his highlights when his defensive coordinator pits him in man-to-man coverage against wide receivers who have a height and size advantage over him. 

“In our scheme, we blitz a lot and my teammates have the trust in me that I'm going to hold my man down to where they can get the sack.”

With the opposing offense spread out in a 4 wide-receiver set, the safety in Cathedral’s defense can take the slot receiver, and the defense can bring a 6-man blitz around the outside or through the inside and get to the quarterback.

These coverage sacks are a staple of the Cathedral Fighting Irish defense, who held their opponents to only 9 points per game in their 8 wins last season, which included 3 games where they did not give up a touchdown. 

“If I don't do my job, then what could happen? I feel like you always have to be doing your job and trust your teammates to do theirs and everything will pan out.”

Chase undoubtedly did his job, and his success early on in the season defending passes, kept opposing offenses from throwing his way too often.

The Fighting Irish defended 265 passing plays in the 2023 season, with 36 of those passes being thrown Chase’s way, and only 12 of them finding their way to a receiver. By the end of the season, Chase had broken up 9 passes, and hauled in 3 interceptions.

Foundationally, trust is at the core of Cathedral’s winning ways, and that translates over schematically to a defense whose success hinges on forcing turnovers and 3-and-outs that set the Fighting Irish up to score offensively also. 

Their season ended in a heartbreaking 27-24 loss to the Ben Davis Giants in the Indiana state quarterfinal round, but Chase has to reflect on his improvement as the high mark of the year.

“This season, I played good and I could have done some things better, but then towards the end of the season I really started to develop.”

The disappointment at the end of the football season opened a new door of opportunity for Chase to improve, which is evident in his methodical love of the game that involves precision in all the fine details of what makes a defensive back successful. 

“I love it all. I love working on my technique. I love lifting because I can get bigger, faster, and stronger. And I always watch film because that's also a very important part of the game.”

Aden Chase’s football roots run deep, and he cites his father as one of his greatest influences and his mother as his greatest cheerleader. 

“My Dad played football at Butler and he took Butler over all these other schools like Illinois, and Michigan State.  Those were preferred walk-on positions, but he wanted to play right away, so he chose Butler instead. I've always wanted to play football, because he played, and I want to become better than him.”

Working to craft his technique and strengthen his athletic ability is Chase’s strategy heading into his senior year, but his mind is his most dangerous weapon as he analyzes football biologically, seeing the game in the movements that others do not see.

After missing out on an opportunity to play varsity basketball this season, Chase used the criticism he received from the basketball coaching staff to fuel his motivational fire, continuing to wake up at 5 am every morning to train for the upcoming AAU season.

“I wasn't chosen because I played too many sports and it was the chemistry that the coach wanted with his players that led to the decision, but I keep working. Never let a coach stop you from doing what you love to do. Or anybody stop you for that matter.”

Aden Chase has high standards for himself, and this time next year, the bar will remain high during his decision-making process as he will be contemplating the next step of his career as a student-athlete in college. 

“Academics come first of course, and then athletics. I want to know where they see me in the depth chart. The coaches and then also the environment, the locker room how everybody's treated there because our locker room now, it’s like a brotherhood."

A team will have to fight to earn Chase's trust, just as he has fought to earn the trust of his teammates.

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