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CALGARY - Canmore’s Austin Anderson is trying to kick-start a professional pigskin career with the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts.

He might not draw as much attention as future-of-the-franchise quarterback Andrew Luck, but the 23-year-old kicker from McGill University is also attending the Colts’ three-day rookie camp this weekend.

He’s the son of longtime kicker Gary Anderson, who spent 23 seasons in the NFL, including stints with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Philadelphia Eagles, the San Francisco 49ers, the Minnesota Vikings and the Tennessee Titans.

“I enjoyed watching his dad kick for all of those years,” Colts head coach Chuck Pagano said. “That was a pleasure.”

The Colts already employ one of the NFL’s most reliable boots — two-time Pro Bowl representative and four-time Super Bowl champion Adam Vinatieri — but Anderson is thrilled to be showcasing his skills at the highest level.

“I’m really excited to be given the opportunity,” he said. “If it goes well and they like what they see, hopefully, I can be invited back for training camp.”

The Andersons relocated to Canmore not long after Gary retired in 2004. He was the first kicker in NFL history to have a perfect regular season — not missing a single convert or three-point try in 1998 — and still ranks second in league history with 2,434 points and 538 field goals.

His son, who was not selected in last week’s CFL draft, recently told QMI Agency he wants to make a name for himself.

“I have been really working hard to train and carve my own path,” Austin said. “I am not trying specifically to walk in my dad’s footsteps or be like my dad. I am trying to do this on my own and do this because it is my own dream and something that I feel called to do.”

Read more: http://www.theprovince.com/sports/Putting+boot+kicker+stigma/5649982/story.html#ixzz1chQd7eqp

Kevin Mitchell / The Star Phoenix

Doug Humbert admits to feeling a little frustrated by the University of Saskatchewan Huskies’ three-legged kicking game.

Humbert, the Huskies’ special-teams coach, has watched Stephen McDonald, Denton Kolodzinski and Cole Samson move in and out of the lineup in what’s turned into a kicking carousel.

He says it’s almost time to make a decision, and that will likely come after Friday’s home game against the British Columbia Thunderbirds.

“We owe it to the kickers, and to the rest of the guys on special-teams,” Humbert said prior to Wednesday’s practice. “We need to establish somebody who’s going to be doing, probably, all three of them (kickoffs, punting and field-goals).

“I’ve got to make the decision, and that’s the bottom line — make the decision, go with one guy, and that’s who we’re going to ride.”

kicking consistency has been a sore-point with the Huskies’ coaching staff this season.

The Huskies are last in punting average with 35.7 yards per boot, and they’ve also struggled with kickoff placement.

The threesome has combined to hit eight of nine field-goal attempts.

McDonald and Kolodzinski, who shared kicking duties last year, did the same early this season. The Huskie coaches turned last weekend to Samson, a Prince Albert native who played high-school football in Nanaimo before kicking last year at California’s College of the Redlands.

He hit his only field-goal attempt, a 25-yard effort, while averaging 37.5 yards per punt during a 38-24 loss to host Calgary. That performance was likely good enough to earn Samson another shot, but that determination has yet to be made.

With home teams getting 10 more roster-spots than road teams, the Huskies will dress two kickers for Friday’s game and sit a third.

“The best guy will go, hopefully,” the 20-year-old Samson said Wednesday. “It makes practice more interesting. A guy can’t just be ‘oh, it’s my spot’ and slack off. He’s always got to be on his toes. That’s why I came in here, to compete, and give these guys a run for their money.”

Samson received feelers from Simon Fraser to play defensive back before opting to go the American junior-college route last season. He’s flashed a strong leg on kickoffs and field-goals, though his punting — which he’s done for a year and a half — is a work in progress.

McDonald, meanwhile, is seen as the stronger field-goal kicker between himself and Kolodzinski — his four field-goals this season include one from 46 yards out — but the latter is regarded as the better punter of the two.

“Nobody’s seized the opportunity yet,” Humbert said. “Cole came in, new to the program and we wanted to give him a shot (last weekend) and see how he did in a game situation. We’ve had Denton in, we’ve had Stephen in, now we’ve had Cole.

“What we’re looking for is consistency, more than anything else. We’re feeling our way through it right now. Each one of them has their strengths, but ideally, what we’re looking to get is somebody who can do a good job at kickoffs, field-goals and punting.”

The Huskies, losers of two straight games, are 2-2 and ranked ninth nationally. They’ve decided to switch things up at quarterback, giving Trent Peterson his first start in the pivot Friday and moving Jahlani Gilbert-Knorren into a backup role.

UBC counters with a 3-1 record and the No. 8 national ranking. Their quarterback, Billy Greene, leads the conference with 1,173 passing yards through four games along with 11 touchdown passes.

Ian Hamilton / Regina Leader-Post

On Oct. 2, Owens returned six punts for 133 yards and six kickoffs for 167 yards in the Argos' 27-16 loss to the visiting Roughriders. When Toronto visited Mosaic Stadium a week later, he managed just 55 yards on seven punt returns and 72 yards on three kickoff returns.

However, that latter contest featured a pair of successful fake punts by the Argos - including one from their own end zone - that helped them post a 24-19 victory.

"This game was really important because last year we gave up two fake punts that cost us the game," Stewart said. "We knew we didn't want that to happen again.

"When we gave up the first one (Saturday), we knew we had to make up for it."

Miller said he didn't think the Roughriders' specialteamers were trying to redeem themselves this season for their performance in 2010. Fullback Neal Hughes agreed, suggesting the focus is solely on 2011.

"We're just trying to play consistently this year," he said. "We know the importance of special teams in the fall, especially here in Saskatchewan with the wind and the kicking game. That's a big part of the game going down the stretch."

Jamie Nye / CKOM 650 Radio

While Craig Butler gets all the headlines, there is another rookie having a significant impact on the Roughriders.

kicker Christopher Milo has impressed in his first season with Saskatchewan, especially with his punting. Milo ranks third in net punting (the difference between the distance the punt travels and the yardage on the oppositions return).

It's a stat that often gets overlooked by the average punting distance.

"He's doing a heck of job by putting it where we want it so that we feel comfortable that we can be aggressive in our coverage," says Special Teams Coordinator Craig Dickenson.

Despite Eddie Johnson no longer being with team, added to the nine-game injured list. His influence has allowed Milo to become a better punter.

"I've learned a lot from him. Just the way he drops the ball. He drops it pretty high and that's where he gets all his power from because his leg is coming through the ball. My drop was a lot lower than it is now. It's paid off."

The team is also impressed with Milo's kickoffs. Surprisingly, it's been Milo's field goal kicking that's been a struggle.

The team was more comfortable with that aspect of the game than his punting and kickoffs when they drafted him 30th overall in the 2011 Canadian Draft.

Milo knows his consistency needs to be better. He has the lowest field goal percentage (57%) than the other seven regular placekickers in the league.

"I'm learning to know why I've missed and trying to correct that in practice. I've been hitting the ball well in practice but now it's taking that and put it into a game."

Dickenson is well aware there is something Milo has to fix but believes the young kicker can overcome the inconsistency.

"I don't know if it's an alignment thing or if he's just hitting the ball a little bit weak or off the side of his foot. We're working on it and it's something we're trying to get corrected. But it is something he's got to correct on his own with his holders and snappers. We're optimistic that he's going to pull through it because he's doing everything right. It's just that he's missing by a hair here or there."

While Milo struggles, Luca Congi feels he's healthy enough to contribute following almost 11 months of rehabbing the knee injury that ended his season in October of 2010.

Congi has a near 80 percent career field goal percentage but Head Coach Ken Miller believes now may not be the time to make a switch.

"Which one of our special teams guys would you take off to put (Congi) on," asked Miller to inquiring minds at practice, "Really that's a question. And how many field goal kickers are perfect? And would (a change) guarantee we make every field goal? So those are some questions that I have. We'll make that decision but those are some of the questions we have to keep in mind when we make that decision."

While Miller believes Congi can use more time to strengthen his knee, the veteran kicker is eager to get back on to the field.

"I'm at the point where I can always work on getting my leg stronger. That's just the way it goes when you go through knee surgery. I'm at the point now where I'm kicking the ball pretty good right now and I feel pretty good."

But it's evident if Milo can put all three phases of the kicking game together and do it consistently, the veteran Congi may have a lot more time off the field to work on getting his leg up to strength than he may want.

By Bill Lankhof / Toronto Sun

HAMILTON - Kevin Scott may not be the loneliest Tiger-Cat.

But to suggest he is a solitary man in a team game would be a mere stone’s throw from reality.

“I’m not sure if it’s the loneliest (profession) but it’s definitely a specialized position and there aren’t a lot of guys in the league who can do it,” Hamilton’s long snapper said Thursday, after another two-hour workout spent mostly apart from his teammates.

As coach Marcel Bellefeuille worked with the offence and defence at Ivor Wynne Stadium, Scott fired balls back between his legs off a goal post; later, joined by kicker Justin Medlock and holder Jason Boltus, they worked in the end zone. Alone. And, after everyone else has retired to the clubhouse, the three finally get to practise kicking balls through some actual goal posts.

Only the local seagulls pay notice.

“It’s definitely not something you dream about, thinking ‘I want to grow up to be a long snapper.’ But I kind of picked it up along the way ... it’s given me a chance to get paid playing football.”

A native of Ottawa, Scott hooked up with former Renegades long snapper Marc Pilon and picked up enough to get drafted by Saskatchewan out of Queen’s University. But after two years backing up 10-year veteran Jocelyn Frenette, he was cut.

“I didn’t play (in 2010) and just went to Ottawa where I was an on-call firefighter and bartender.” He thought his football days were done. The plan was to enroll at teacher’s college.

Then this spring Hamilton long-snap specialist Jordan Matechuk was arrested in a steroid mess. Scott’s been hooking up with Medlock ever since and at age 28 has become part of one of the most succesful kicking combines in the CFL.

“I’m still going to a school in Buffalo in January. I’d like to become a high school teacher. In this game, you never know ...” A couple bad snaps and he could be history; from anonymity to unemployed. It is a small step.

“When it comes to the world of a long snapper if someone is talking about you, it usually means you’ve made a mistake,” said Scott. So, his biggest surprise Thursday came when practice ended and he saw his name posted on the board notifying players they were wanted by the media. It’s the first time that’s happened since the day he joined the Ticats.

“Sometimes Medlock puts my name up on the board as a joke. To be honest, that’s what I thought this was when I saw it,” said Scott, who brings a grin and an easy manner to his task.

It is a task to which few fans pay much attention - until it goes wrong. “It can be a momentum changer and we’ve seen it happen in a few games already this year in this league.”

How can something so simple go so wrong? It’s actually a position that requires technique and strength. The snap needs to be consistent, it needs to be hard enough to beat a rush, yet pliant as to be catchable.

“I hang out with Justin all day. It’s just snap, snap, snap all day. How many we do depends mostly on Justin ... we probably do 45 to 70 every practice. He’s a perfectionist and that attitude kind of wears off. So, I want it to be perfect, too.”

Medlock likes to get the ball chest-down on punts.

And, defences will do just about anything to prevent Scott from delivering the ball in that spot.

“The big thing is it’s truly a mental position. You can’t be affected by the crowd noise or players screaming at you. Guys will try to get you distracted ... they’ll be as physical as they can. After a punt going downfield they’ll try to lay you out completely.”

It’s a game within a game rarely up for public discussion; never seen on the replays; appreciated by few not actually wearing a football uniform.

“The noise, the yelling, the hitting. You have to block all that out. They’ll hit you hard ... try to throw you off your game so that you’re not focussing on the snap. That’s the mental toughness part. You can’t think about what happens after (the kick) because the snap is the most vital thing for me.”

Frenette turned it into a 10-year career. Pilon had six seasons. Randy Srochenski was a master of the trade for 15 seasons in the CFL. He was around so long he was in danger of becoming a household name.

“It’s an interesting position ... one where you don’t want anyone to know who you are,” said Scott. “If nobody mentions your name it’s usually a good thing.”

By GREGG DRINNAN / Daily News Sports Editor

When the CFL’s B.C. Lions open their rookie camp at Hillside Stadium on  Thursday, Aaron Smit plans on playing the role of sponge.

Yes, he wants to soak it all in and then some.

After all, how many athletes, with one season — ONE SEASON! — of playing their sport under their belts, get invited to a professional team’s training camp?

“I started . . . last year was my first year playing,” says Smit, an 18-year-old who was born and raised in Kamloops and attended St. Ann’s.

A soccer player since he was knee high to a grasshopper, Smit never played minor football, nor did he play at the high school level. Last season, he pretty much walked on with the BCFC’s Kamloops Broncos and ended up sticking with the junior team.

“He went to one of the TRU sports camps in the summer when he was in Grade 11,” offers Brad Yamaoka, a former CFL running back who is the Broncos’ special teams coach. “I guess he started kicking a football around and Brian Olthuis was coaching the camp. He calls us up and says, ‘Hey, you gotta take a look at this kid. He can kick a football!’ ”

It seems that Olthuis, Mr. High School Football in these parts and the father of Duncan, now the Broncos’ head coach, was correct.

“Aaron had never played before and we had to wait a year until he finished high school,” Yamaoka says. “Once he finished he came out with us . . . and, man, he had a great year.”

Smit finished the season 12-for-19 in field goals, with a longest of 42 yards. He was 12-for-12 on extra-point attempts. He punted 70 times for a 30.9-yard average, with a longest of 88 yards.

“He’s got a great leg,” Yamaoka continues. “His field goal kicking is probably his forte. He’s got a great foot for that.

“He’s got good range,”

Yamaoka adds, noting that Smit hits from 50 yards “quite easily” in practice.

Smit does, however, have some work to do with his punting.

"punting . . . he’s got a good foot but that’s where he really needs to work at it,” Yamaoka says.

When Smit arrived at the Broncos’ camp, the last thing he expected was to be the starting kicker. Rather, he thought he would be backing up Gabe Ord and doing some learning.

“We were both kicking,” Smit recalls. “I was just going to kind of be a backup and learn from him. Then he just quit. He left by himself . . . didn’t want to play anymore.”

Smit admits that his initiation as the Broncos’ starting kicker was rather rough.

"I missed three that were within like 20 yards,” he says. “They were super close and I just blew them.
“But it got better after that.”

And it got really good in mid-May when Yamaoka called and told him about the invitation to the Lions’ rookie camp.

“I’m pretty excited,” Smit says. “It should be a fun thing to do.”

“I know some people in Vancouver,” Yamaoka relates, “and I was chatting with them and they asked about our kicker. The whole idea is to get an Interior kid to come (to rookie camp) and kick and help out. Obviously, he won’t be competing for a job.

“I told them he’s got a great leg, he’s young and he’ll do anything you tell him to. He wants to learn how to play and how to kick.

“He’s got potential. If he really works at it . . .”

In preparation, Smit has been kicking a couple of times a week at Hillside Stadium, working with some Broncos’ teammates.

Smit goes in knowing that this is all about gaining experience, and if he gets to spend a day or two with the big boys once main camp begins, well . . .

“That would be great. That would be excellent,” he adds. “Paul McCallum will be at main camp and it would be great to kick with him.”

McCallum, of course, is the Lions’ veteran kicker and a sure-fire hall of famer. He also is one of only two kickers — the other is 2011 draft pick Hugh O’Neill from the U of Alberta — on the main camp roster. So if a third kicker is needed for the early days of main camp, even if just to shag balls, well, you never know.

One thing is for certain, though. Smit is bound to have a lot of support at rookie camp.

After all, he is one of Nico and Louise’s seven children.

camp NOTES: The rookies are scheduled to be on the field Thursday and Friday (3:30-5:30 p.m.) and Saturday (9-11 a.m.) . . . Main camp opens Sunday with two-a-days. As a rule, players will be on the field in the mornings (8:30-11) and late afternoons (4-6:30), although the Lions’ website notes that “on June 5, 8, 10 and 19, the club will have very limited on-field activities during the morning practice sessions.” . . . A FanFest is scheduled for June 12, with gates opening at 1 p.m. That will include an autograph session (1:30-2:30 p.m.), a practice (2:30-4 p.m.) and a minor football clinic (4-5 p.m.) . . . The Lions will play a preseason game in Calgary against the Stampeders on June 15, then return to Kamloops. They will break camp for good on June 21.

By Don Manley / Marcoislandflorida.com

Monday was a big day for Marco Island Charter Middle School as its new football program held its inaugural practice that afternoon.

About 18 Marco charter students got familiar with each other and the team’s coaches, who schooled them in the basics of the game.

For two hours, the sixth through eighth graders paid rapt attention to coaches instructions and practiced some of the passing, kicking, blocking and pass-catching techniques they will utilize next football season.

Kat Bray, whose son Jordan Barrett is on the team, is ecstatic with the new addition to the school’s sports roster.

“I think that all schools should have a football team, whether your child is interested in playing football or another sport, because it brings the school together, gives a sense of camaraderie and it can carry over to many other areas,” such as cheerleading and band, said Bray.

The Marco Island Charter Middle School Eagles head coach is former NFL great Mike Vanderjagt, who lives on the island and will also coach the Marco Island Academy high school team.

Vanderjagt was a place kicker for the Indianapolis Colts and the Dallas Cowboys for nine years, and spent four years playing in the CFL. Vanderjagt formerly held the NFL record for career field goal accuracy.

That NFL background is already paying dividends.

Vanderjagt and his assistant coaches — Chris Burt, Scott Gibbs, Jim Young and his brother Lee Vanderjagt — visited with one of Mike Vanderjagt’s former head coaches, Tony Dungy, in Tampa last week.

In fact, the Eagles will use a Dungy-designed defense that’s popular around the NFL — “Tampa 2.”

“Jim Young and I will do our offense based on our knowledge and what we want to do offensively,” Vanderjagt said. “But we’re going to go with Tony’s scheme defensively and from a head-coaching standpoint, just what I’ve learned from Jim Mora, Tony Dungy and Bill Parcells — I’ll be leaning on what I learned while I was in the NFL, which I guess isn’t a bad thing.”

Vanderjagt said another six practices will be held before the June 9 close of the school year and practices will resume in August.