Our Philosophy
We coach to achieve peak performance on game day.
We make sure that talented high school kickers and punters get to kick in college.
We do not teach one-style-fits-all gimmicky ways of kicking. We teach solid fundamentals and training methods that are used by NFL punters and kickers. Simply put, they are the best in the world at what they do. We utilize their knowledge and training methods by applying them to fit younger kickers and punters who strive for excellence in their skill. One's individual tendencies will shape his kicking style for years to come. Instead of fighting those tendencies, we teach how to harness the strengths by applying them in a more efficient manner.
Ages 10 to 14
The sooner a kicker starts developing the winning habits quicker he will stand out from the rest of the field. At this age I keep the instruction simple but reminders frequent. Mental focus, more so than motor coordination, is what makes this age group different from older players. They get excited easier and discouraged quicker. Therefore, in addition to the correct mechanics, I focus on teaching the drills and the routines that promote right frame of mind during the performance. The mental part of the kicking game takes time to develop just like the physical. By reiterating the correct focal points at early age they become second nature later on.
High School
At this level there is a significant difference in skills and potential from one athlete to the next. I believe in being honest with the player regarding where he stands the first day I see him versus where he needs to be in order to accomplish his goal - whatever that may be ( starting for varsity, playing in college or NFL). I never tell a player that he is not good enough, but I recognize that some face an easier road than others.
I expect high school kickers and punters to devote sufficient time performing drillwork to become mechanically more efficient. I expect them to focus on each repetition of a drill and each kick maximally. I expect to see the improvement in kick consistency and maturation of championship focus each week.
I believe that most high school kickers/punters have the potential to move up to next level if they receive quality instruction and if they invest enough time into quality practice. By the time a punter or a kicker leaves high school he has to have mastered the mechanics of executing a kick at the game speed with good consistency. If there is a doubt present in his mind, it will be exposed with higher pressure, higher expectations, and more performance demands that the next level will present.
College
Most college kickers and punters have the basic knowledge of how to kick and punt the ball straight and far. They have demonstrated to their coaches that they have a good leg and they know how to use it. Their challenge is to show the occasional flash of brilliance while putting up solid performances regardless of whether they are having a good kicking day or a bad one.
I believe that a college punter should be able to execute scenario specific punts - drive punt, hang time punt, directional punt, rushed punt. He should have the knowledge to deal with wind, cold weather, rain, and bad snaps. He should be prepared to compete with a players of equal or greater abilities.
A college kicker should be able to make clean contact with the ball every time. He should have consistent and comfortable kick-off steps. He should know how to adjust his line, his steps, and his body's center of gravity to match the weather and turf conditions. He should know how to instruct the holder to give him a clean hold. The holder has to know how to adjust holds to help with wind and turf conditions. A college kicker should almost never miss a field goal inside 39 yards when conditions are good.
When teaching college level kickers and punters my main focus is on making slight adjustment in the kicking form to make them more efficient and consistent while offering tricks of the trade that will help them perform at a higher level. I teach in greater detail about game scenario kicks, mindset strategies to keep calm in pressure situations, off-season training, two-a-day routines, pregame physical and mental tuning up, and working well with the unit that is snapper, holder, special teams coach.