CAMERON IS A FIRST GRADE STUDENT FROM BUFFALO, N.Y.

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) –Over the April 11-12 weekend, the Fargo Force wrapped up the USHL regular season vs. Sioux Falls. In their final home game Friday night, they wore a special jersey in honor of Fan Appreciation Day. It was the fifth annual fan jersey design competition and this year had its youngest winner yet: Cameron Lattuca, a first grade student from Buffalo, N.Y.

Out of the over 100 jersey’s entered, Cameron’s design won and that included an entry from his dad.

“To be honest with you, I’m very jealous that he came up with this design,” said Anthony Lattuca. “We both entered last year, obviously neither of us won, and this year I asked Cam if he wanted to do it, kind of at the last second, he came up with this awesome design and ended up winning. To see the players wearing his jersey [for the game], I think, is going to be really, really fun.”

The win prompted the family to make the over 1,000 mile trip west to Fargo to witness cam’s jersey in live action.

“So obviously, it’s quite a trip from Buffalo, and just the expense and just organizing all of it was a lot,” said Cameron’s mom Samantha. “But it’s a once in a lifetime thing for him. We talked about it and it’s something he won’t be able to do again, right? Like, we have to make it happen for him.”

Cameron and his family got a tour of Scheels Arena, explored the city of Fargo and when it came time for the game…fellow Buffalo native Matthew Lansing scored the game’s first goal.

“It is a sweet design,” said Lansing, a forward for the Fargo Force. “It’s always cool to wear a special jersey. It’s really cool to see there’s Force fans everywhere, even from Buffalo, New York, a long ways away. But, yeah, it’s really special, especially seeing that the Force can support them and bring them out here for this night. It should be a really special night. I’m excited.”

That excitement was felt all day long for the Luttuca’s.

“Exciting to like win, especially at my age and how like I was going up against like 34 year olds,” said Cameron. “Like cool to wear it, especially when I’m already at the game and it’s like my jersey I designed and I’m like walking around and it’s my art walking around as a jersey.”

Anthony said his love for design inspires him to enter several jersey competitions, but the winner was his son this go around.

“It’s so cool,” said Samantha. “It feels surreal, right? Like they are real hockey jerseys that he drew with his markers on our kitchen table at home. It was so exciting for him throughout the entire process. And then when we finally got the call that he actually won it, it was just, you know, one of those moments that you’ll never get to experience again for him.”

The experience was surely a great one for the whole family to enjoy. As for Cameron’s future, this win could very well be a career starter.

“I want to be an artist and also like a scientist for graphic.”

Quite the thing to put on the resume already. Cameron said his favorite part of the day was having the jersey presented to him by the team before the game.