You just hit a 45 yard field goal in your last high school
football game, hit five touchbacks including one that went thru the uprights,
and you have not missed an extra point since last year. The good times are rolling…
You consider yourself a solid prospect. You’ve talked with more than
a dozen schools, all of which have signed other kickers or don’t return
your phone calls anymore. You had a great year, had great statistics
and feel you will have no problem kicking off the ground. Your problem:
You’re still seeking a scholarship. If this sounds like you, then
welcome to the world of recruiting for football kickers and punters.
“I've
had perfect attendance all the way through high school,” Strickland
said. “I'm proud of that. I'm taking AP and honors now and have done
reasonably well with a non-weighted grade point average of 3.5.”
Your season is done... football is long forgotten...you have only
the bowl games to keep you interested in college football. BUT -- you
felt you had a great season. You lead your conference in points, field
goal percentage or punt average. You compared yourself to the other
kickers you played against and felt that you had an edge on them.
Coaches and teammates are telling you that you have what it takes to
play pro ball.
Then the questions comes.... How do I get in the NFL?
You consider yourself a solid prospect. You’ve talked with more than
a dozen schools, all of which have signed other kickers or don’t return
your phone calls anymore. You had a great year, had great statistics
and feel you will have no problem kicking off the ground. Your problem:
You’re still seeking a scholarship. If this sounds like you, then
welcome to the world of recruiting for football kickers and punters.
Specialists often have the hardest times getting noticed by college recruiters and coaches.You often hear about kickers from a small school in Nebraska or Idaho that hit a 65-yard field goal and are listed as the number one kicker in their class on Rivals.com because of that kick. Kickers are also often the last position to get recruited and there are thousands of good kickers across the country. So,what can set you apart?
If you’re just starting to learn how to kick footballs at the Pop Warner level, or even at the high school level, and you’re between the ages of 7-15, this article is for you. It focuses on three fundamentals that you should learn early to help as you move into and through school.
During my latest Yoga Retreat in Mexico, I went through numerous stretching, balancing and posture exercises. The list included yoga poses, foam roller positions and posture movements with tennis balls. I highly recommend this to any Pop Warner, high school college and professional kicker. I also noticed a greater emphasis on my breathing. The internal breathing I performed warmed me up; I was drenched after each yoga session. I realized not only can yoga help increase range of motion, but it also grounded me mentally and increased my focus. I brought home six great exercises that can help you in your kicking game.
KICKING TIPS