By Mark Maynard / Prokicker.com

ASHLAND, Ky. – Prokicker.com: There’s now an app for that.

The top kicking camp in America is now the first to have an app for all its social media news.

“We’re so pleased to be the first kicking camp anywhere to have an app,” said camp director Rick Sang. “We understand the need for developing an app to push our brand.

The Prokicker.com app is free to download on mobile phones. It allows access to Prokicker.com, Prokickernews.com and the organization’s Facebook accounts, Twitter accounts, YouTube Channel, camp photographs and camp rankings.

“This is something we’ve been looking at for a long time,” Sang said. “We’re so excited about it and hope everybody downloads it to their phones. We know how much these kids are on their phones. Now they can be on their phones and read news and information about the kicking game.”

The app is free of charge and available in both Apple and Android format.

Multiple download options are available.

You can download the web app using the link: http://prokickerkickingcamps.mobapp.at or download directly from the Android Market and stay up to date with the latest news and push notifications. Search the Android Market for Prokicker kicking camps to find and download it. The app will soon be available in the Apple Store.

The app is geared exclusively toward kicking, punting and long-snappers.

The app was developed by graphics design and marketing company Right Eye Graphics, righteyegraphics.com.
 

By Mark Maynard / Prokickernews.com

ASHLAND, Ky. – The inaugural Ray Guy Prokicker.com High School All-Americans include some of the nation’s top punting, kicking, kickoff and long-snapping prospects.

Players were selected after much vetting from the Prokicker.com staff, who watched and coached the players during camps, and also by how the players performed on the field during the 2011 high school season.

“Our staff has personally watched these players and worked with these players during camps,” said Prokicker.com founder and camp director Rick Sang. “We’ve seen them and know what they can do.”

There were four All-America categories – punting, kicking, long-snapping and kickoff specialist. The last category is believed to be the first of its kind in receiving All-America postseason recognition.

“There are a lot of facets to special teams and we feel like this is an important one that sometimes gets overlooked when it comes to being recognized as the best,” Sang said.

Selecting the first All-America team with the Ray Guy Prokicker.com brand was something that Sang wanted to make sure was done as accurately and fairly as possible. Prokicker.com rankings and ratings weighed into the selection process but only because that meant staff members had either worked with or watched these honorees perform.

“We’re proud of what these young men have accomplished for their high school teams and look for each one of them to play at the college level,” Sang said.

Eight different states were represented: Georgia (two), Texas (two), Florida (two), Kentucky, Virginia (two), Arizona, South Carolina and Arkansas.

Among the first-, second- and third-team selections three players – kickers Harrison Butker, Nick Tankersley and Patrick Sohrt – were selected as Ray Guy Prokicker.com All-Americans in two different categories.

Butker, a combo kicker for The Westminster Schools near Atlanta, was the first-team All-America kicker and third-team punter.

Sohrt, the left-footed kicker from St. Joseph High School in Victoria, Tex., was a second-team All-America selection as both a punter and kickoff specialist.

Tankersley, who helped Manatee High School capture the Florida Class 7A championship, was the second-team kicker and the third-team kickoff specialist. He was 18 of 26 on field goals and 68 of his 100 kickoffs went for touchbacks.

Ray Guy, the former All-Pro punter for the Oakland Raiders who is considered the greatest punter in NFL history, was proud to lend his name to the inaugural Ray Guy Prokicker.com High School All-Americans.

“These young men have proven that they’re the best of the best,” Guy said. “I’ve seen many of them personally in camps and know the work ethic that goes with being a great kicker or punter. These guys have that something special, that ‘it’ factor, that separates them from the pack. This is just a steppingstone for many of them. We look for them to do great things at the next level.”

First-team selections were:

punter: Thomas Meadows (6-0, 170, senior), Goochland, Va., Goochland High School, Purdue commit.Averaged 41.2 yards per punt for Goochland High School, the Division II Class A state runner-up. He had 13 punts inside the 20 and allowed only 14 return yards. He was first-team district, first-team region, All-Metro and participated in the Chesapeake Bowl where he punted five times for a 46-yard average.

Meadows credits his early experience with Prokicker.com into making him a top-notch punter.

“They really teach the techniques,” Meadows said. “I took a different approach than most kids my age did. Most kids my age went out and kicked the ball. I wanted to learn how to do it the right way. I wanted to establish my form. In my opinion, and in Rick Sang’s opinion, I’ve got some of the best form of anybody my age.”

Meadows will compete for the punting, kickoff and placekicking jobs when he gets to Purdue this summer.

“It depends on how I do in the offseason but I could be doing all three (for Purdue in the fall).”

kicker: Harrison Butker (6-3, 170, junior), Atlanta, Ga., Westminster.All-State First Team in Class AA Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Georgia Sports Writers Association; All Metro, all classification, in Atlanta/South Fulton area; participated in Georgia Junior Bowl.

Butker made 16 of 17 field goals with only miss coming from 59 yards. Butker connected on a 51-yard field goal. He also had touchbacks on 47 of 59 kickoffs (80 percent) and also punted for a 39.5 average on 33 punts. Four of them were more than 50 yards with six downed inside the opponent’s 20.

 “It was an incredible season,” Butker said. “A lot of credit goes to the (long)-snappers and holders. I was lucky to have a kicking coach (Joe Sturniolo) and a head coach (Gerry Romberg) who liked to kick.”

KICKOFF SPECIALIST: Zach Burgy-VanHoose (6-1, 214, senior), Pikeville, Ky., Pikeville High School. Led high school team to Class A state semifinals by booming 85 percent of kickoffs for touchbacks. kicker for Kentucky in Border Bowl against Tennessee and was selected as kicker on the WMYT All-Mountain Team.

“It definitely is great to be able to end the high school season with that award. It makes you feel good; makes you feel like all the hard work is finally paying off.”

LONG-SNAPPER: Rey Higuera (5-11, 225, senior), Gilbert, Ariz., Perry High School. Arizona All-State 5A Division II first-team; All-Region, All-Section first team; snapped in Semper Fidelis Bowl; Prokicker.com national champion long-snapper for 2011.

“I’ve been long-snapping since I was a sophomore but I didn’t start getting competitive in it until the end of my junior year,” Higuera said. “Our team had a guy who was long-snapping and getting fairly good. We had heard about a coach (Ben Bernard) in Phoenix (Arizona Elite Long snapping in North Phoenix) who turned out a lot of Division I long-snappers. I really enjoyed playing football but was not the most athletically gifted person. I had to work to get where I am.”

Second-team selections were:

punter/KICKOFF SPECIALIST: Patrick Sohrt (6-2, 205, senior), Victoria, Tex., St. Joseph High School. Sohrt did a little bit of everything for his team in the kicking department but excelled on punt and kickoffs.

“I actually think my punting got better from last year. We had a 1-9 season, so we did punt a lot,” Sohrt said.

Despite St. Joseph’s record, Sohrt was named a first-team All-State punter. “I’d like to do punting and kickoffs (in college) but I’ll do whatever they ask me to do. I just want the chance.”

kicker: Nick Tankersley (6-1, 165, senior), Bradenton, Fla., Manatee High School. Tankersley had a huge season for Florida 7A state champion Manatee High School, which finished 13-2. “When you play that many games, it’s good experience and good exposure.” Tankersley made 18 of 26 field goals with a long of 53 yards, a school record. Four of his misses were from 50-plus yards. He also had 68 touchbacks on 100 kickoffs and punted 39 times for a net average of 37.18. He allowed only 28 punt return yards.

“He can do all of it (in the kicking game),” said Manatee assistant coach Dennis Stallard. “He’s probably more natural kicker/kickoff guy. He taught himself through what he learned at Prokicker.com camps. It’s not a natural motion for a kid with a soccer background.”

LONG-SNAPPER: Ike Powell (6-3, 240, sophomore), Tifton, Ga., Tift County High School. Powell was the Ray Guy Prokicker.com National Championship runner-up for 2011 and was the national winner in the underclassman division.He was All-Area in a four-county area. Powell is also the youngest Prokicker.com All-American selection and the top-ranked player in his class at long-snapper.

Here’s what Jacob Claycomb, a Prokicker.com staff member, said about Powell:

“Ike has always been really gifted. You can tell he works hard at it. He has his own target in the back yard. Most kids don’t know their exact score before you tell him. Ike threw the last ball and said ‘Oh, man, 24 points.’ He had a running clock in his head. Ike’s pretty much the whole package. He’s probably one of the better long-snappers I’ve had come through the camps. He’s such a hard worker.

During the national championships his fastest snap was .77 and his average was .83.

 Third-team selections were:

punter (tie): Mitchell Ludwig (6-0, 170, junior), Abingdon, Va., Abingdon High School. First-team district and regional punter, second-team kicker; Virginia preps.com AA First-Team All-State punter and Virginia Preps.com AA underclassmen First Team All-State punter; set five school kicking and punting records; one state of Virginia record submitted (single game six punts for 50.33 yard average).

Harrison Butker (6-3, 170, junior), Atlanta, Ga., Westminster (See information above).

kicker: Houston Ray (5-11, 170, junior), Van Buren, Ark., Van Buren High School.

KICKOFF SPECIALIST (tie): Sean Covington (6-1, 175, junior), St. Petersburg, Fla., St. Petersburg High School; Nick Tankersley(6-1, 165, senior), Bradenton, Fla., Manatee High School.

LONG-SNAPPER (tie): Mike Sulka (6-4, 240, senior), Bluffton, S.C., Bluffton High School; Fred McClimans (6-0, 205, senior), Flower Mound, Tex., Flower Mound High School.

HONORABLE MENTION

KICKERS

Nick Bartolotta, Fox High School (Mo.), class of 2012

Sean Covington, St. Petersburg High School (Fla.), class of 2013

Andy Ellington, Winfield High School (W.Va.), class of 2012

Pedro Ramello, Fishers High School (Ind.), class of 2012

Austin Jordan, Airport High School (S.C.), class of 2012

Trent Domingue, St. Paul’s School (La.), class of 2012

PUNTERS

Alex Barta, Clarkston High School (Mich.), class of 2012

Cliff Hurst, Centreville Academy (La.), class of 2012

Brian Bostrom, Kings Academy (Calif.), class of 2012

KICKOFF SPECIALISTS

Mark Grant, Mosley High School (Fla.), class of 2012

Ryan Frain, Scecina Memorial High School (Ind.), class of 2012

Harrison Butker, Westminster Schools (Ga.), class of 2013

Nick Bartolotta, Fox High School (Mo.), class of 2012

Carson Greifenkamp, Murray High School (Ky.), class of 2012

LONG-SNAPPERS

Chris Fitzpatrick, Anderson County High School (Ky.), class of 2012

Leonard Skubal, St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.) High School, class of 2012

Chad Leonard, Queens Creek High School (Ariz.), class of 2012

Travis Taulbee, Montgomery County High School (Ky.), class of 2012

Zack Hirth, Eureka High School (Mo.), class of 2012

Nick Walter, Pickerington Central (Ohio) High School, class of 2013

Billy Oldach, The Rivers School (Ma.), class of 2012

Brent Becenti, Ganado High School (Ariz.), class of 2012

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — Alex Kinal can forget footy. The only football he's concerned about these days is the American kind, as the former Australian rules standout has found a spot as a punter at Wake Forest.

He didn't take up the American version of the sport until last April and says he's never put on a helmet and pads in a game. But with a handful of Australian-born punters in the NFL, Kinal is hoping there's room for another one in the college game. The freshman's first game comes Thursday night at Syracuse.

"It was kind of a leap of faith for both of us," coach Jim Grobe said Tuesday. "But we haven't been disappointed. He's got a big-time leg."

Kinal said he had to retrain his leg to kick in a more Americanized way.

A well-struck ball in Australia — where the game is called "footy" — rotates end-over-end and might not clear 10 feet in height. That's exactly what U.S. coaches don't want in a sport that prizes spiraling punts that hang in the air for several seconds at a time.

"We kick it end-over-end (in Australia) because it's sort of more precise — you know exactly where it's going," Kinal said. "If (Australians) get a ball kicked to us like we kick one of these balls here, it's called a hospital ball because you will go to the hospital if you stand underneath it. And that's not a lie. I've stood underneath plenty of them."

Kinal played roughly 10 years in Australia's junior footy leagues and became interested in American football after watching countrymen Sav Rocca and Ben Graham punting in the NFL.

Last fall, Kinal shot a video of himself punting and sent it to “a bunch of D-I schools.” Some schools shied away because of his inexperience. He heard back from four, and says Wake Forest was the most promising.

Demon Deacons assistant coach Billy Mitchell watched the tape and summoned his boss to take a look. Grobe then had noted kicking guru Rick Sang check it out.

"He punted a couple balls that haven't come down yet," Grobe said. "It goes up and it goes up and it goes up and finally, way down the field, it drops on the ground, and you know, we're like, ‘Wait a minute, something’s wrong here.’”

Grobe said the video was authentic.

“It wasn't punting a Nerf ball. It wasn't filled with helium. It wasn't an Australian-rules ball or anything. It was a for-real football,” Grobe said.

Kinal already has earned the Demon Deacons' respect for his toughness. Grobe says he sees a glimmer in Kinal's eye when he punts during scrimmages — then races downfield in an attempt to make the tackle.

"Playing the sport I used to play, I've had guys running at me my whole life. But it's more ... noticeable here," Kinal said. "You know exactly where they are. You know exactly where they're coming from. And that's what you've got to block out and just catch-to-kick, catch-to-kick."

Added teammate Cyhl Quarles with a smile, about Aussie players: "No pads. That means they're tough. They're real tough."

Still, Grobe doesn't want to rush his inexperienced punter into the mix. Kinal is listed as the backup to redshirt sophomore Alex Wulfeck for the opener.

"We'll bring Alex along and try to get him into situations, if we use him right away, to where he can be comfortable and maybe not just throw him right into the fire," Grobe said. "But I think he's got the potential to be really special."

By Mark Maynard / Prokickernews.com

GOOCHLAND, Va. – Combo kicker Thomas Meadows, a Prokicker.com camp alum, verbally committed to Purdue on Wednesday night.

He credits his camp experience with making him a highly sought college prospect.

"I definitely give all my credit to the Prokicker.com camps," Meadows said. "I feel like they gave me a good idea of what I needed to work on."

Meadows, who is 6-foot and 170 pounds, is headed to the Big Ten school after weighing several viable options. He had a scholarship offer from the University of Richmond (Va.) and several other schools taking long looks. The combo kicker-punter is also an outstanding student with a 4.36 GPA. Purdue had what he wanted academically as well, a major in the Movement of Sports in Science.

"It kind of fits into what I do as a kicker," he said.

Meadows will be given the opportunity to earn a starting spot as either the punter, kickoff specialist or field goal kicker, he said.

Thomas Meadows has one more year of high school at Goochland County in Virginia. The school won a state championship in 2006 and has had winning records from 2007-2010 but hasn’t made it back to the semifinals.

Meadows, an all-around good athlete, has been a punter for Goochland County with incredible hang time. Despite punting two-thirds of last season with a pulled hamstring, he averaged 38 yards per kick and only had six return yards in 19 punts as a junior. He kicked off half a dozen times and three of those were in the end zone.

Meadows He attended his first Prokicker.com camp in 2009 in Huntington, W.Va., where his father, Rusty Meadows, has family ties. They immediately were attracted to the camp’s professional staff and instruction.

“He went to his first camp and they got him hook, line and sinker,” said Rusty Meadows. “That’s where he picked up most of his instruction.”

Meadows said Thomas learned under Taylor Long, a Prokicker.com staffer, and camp director Rick Sang. He took something away from every camp he attended. Sang has been impressed with Meadows, especially from a fundamental standpoint.

“He’s just really a technically sound kid, a good athlete who is going to be very successful,” Sang said.

Meadows attended other camps but Prokicker.com offered the best quality instruction.

"They taught me a lot," he said. "I wouldn't be where I am without them."

By Mark Maynard / Prokickernews.com

INDIANAPOLIS – Long-snapper Anthony Stella made an impression at the Ray Guy Prokicker.com punting, kicking and long-snapping camp here on Friday.

Stella, who will be a senior at Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis this fall, was a quick study, said Prokicker.com staffer Jacob Claycomb, a former long-snapper at Eastern Kentucky University.

“I think he could play somewhere,” Claycomb said. “He’s a good athlete.”

Stella was one of nine long-snappers at the Prokicker.com’s stopover here. Stella, who is 5-foot-11 and 200 pounds, was one of the top prospects. Claycomb said he was a coachable player who learned after making some minor adjustments.

He was 17 of 30 on his accuracy snaps and had a 0.78 in the fastest snap charting. Stella is a versatile high school player who often makes the tackle on a punt.

“You don’t see that too often,” said Claycomb, who has worked with Prokicker.com camps since 2007.

Claycomb graduated from EKU in 2009 and he was on scholarship his last two years after originally walking on.

“They recruited me just as a long-snapper but my junior and senior year we had an All-American kicker in Taylor Long,” Claycomb said. “He was having a great season and our holder broke his hand. I’d been to some (Prokicker.com) camps with Taylor. He said ‘You can hold.’ I’d learned how to traveling around the country with Rick (Sang) doing these camps.”

So the backup long-snapper was inserted on field goals with Claycomb providing the hold.

“I got to look at it from two different angles,” he said. “I ended up holding all my junior year and half my senior year.”

So Claycomb is the voice of experience for long-snappers. His value increased from learning how to also be a holder. That made him someone the EKU staff wanted to keep around. Claycomb has continued to work with Sang’s Prokicker.com camps and enjoys the experience of sharing his knowledge.

The staff that works Prokicker.com camps have similar success stories making them the perfect coaches for the kickers, punters and long-snappers who come.

The Prokicker.com camp moved to Memphis Friday afternoon and will be in Little Rock, Ark., Saturday and Sunday before going to the Dallas area Tuesday and Wednesday for what is expected to be one of the biggest camps of the summer.

Go to Prokicker.com for details on a camp near you.

By Mark Maynard / Prokickernews.com

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Two top kickers from the 2013 class were part of the Ray Guy Prokicker.com kicking Academy here.

Joesph Pedraza and Matt Flynn, who will both be junior kickers for their high school teams this fall, impressed the staff with some long-range kicking at the two-day Prokicker.com camp.

Pedraza, attending his first Prokicker.com camp, said he’s going away a much better kicker than when he came to the camp.

“It was a lot more than I expected,” he said. “I didn’t think it’d be this nice.”

Pedraza’s big leg easily made him a candidate for the top prospect list at the camp. Long-distance kicking is nothing new to Pedraza, who boomed a 46-yard field goal for Walker High School in Jasper, Ala., last year. But with the additional technique learned through the two-day camp, Pedraza better sees the sky is the limit – literally and figuratively.

“I learned a lot of new things, things that will help me be a better kicker when the season starts,” he said. “I’ve learned about following through on my kicks, keeping my chest up on kickoffs. They taught me so much stuff I didn’t know about kicking. I could tell the improvement from day one.”

Flynn, who will also be a junior this fall, was attending his first Prokicker.com camp. He’s been to others but the technique learned at Prokicker.com turned into immediate success.

“By the end of the day, I was cranking it up,” Flynn said.

He won the competitions for the longest field goal, longest kickoff and best hang time.

“He dominated all the kicks (competitions) here,” said camp director Rick Sang.

Flynn said “It was a good camp and let me work on my technique as a punter.”

Flynn, a combo kicker, is from Loganville, Ga. He’s also an outstanding soccer player and plans on continuing to play that sport in the near future.

Former University of Memphis All-American kicker and punter Matt Reagan said Flynn has an opportunity to play college football

Reagan is a former Prokicker.com camper himself and he’s now on the staff.

“These camps are great for a couple of reasons,” he said. “They’re getting the fundamentals from guys that have been there and been in the heat of battle. It’s different than hearing it from a coach. You also have the talent search aspect of it, like Matt Flynn, who has a good leg and could possibly go on to the next level.”

Reagan came to a Prokicker.com camp when he was a sophomore in high school in Knoxville and also attended a camp at Middle Tennessee State University that Sang’s staff ran. He said those camps made him a better kicker.

“There’s so many things out there right now, guys saying ‘Let me help you get a scholarship,’’’ Reagan said. “But if you don’t have the technique and ability you’re not going to perform. They may have heard of your name but if you don’t have any technique, they’re not going to take you.”

Prokicker.com camps focus on technique and honesty. Reagan said Sang doesn’t sugarcoat it for the campers.

“The thing that separates him is he really cares about the athlete,” Reagan said. “It’s not afraid to get up into him a little bit. Other camps will pat you on your back and tell you how good you are. Rick is telling them what they need to hear.”

Reagan said what Prokicker.com staff members try to do is tweak the good kickers with technical instruction that they can go home with.

“We want to reach them and show them what they’re doing wrong,” he said. “That’s the biggest thing you can do as a coach.”

The next Ray Guy Prokicker.com camp will be in Richmond, Ky., on Saturday and Sunday. Go to Prokicker.com for a complete listing of camps.

By Mark Maynard / Prokickernews.com Editor

BRADENTON, Fla. – Learning from the best?

That’s what happens at the Prokicker.com Ray Guy kicking Academy. Last weekend at Manatee High School, during the spring’s second Prokicker.com camp, NFL punter Brandon Fields of the Miami Dolphins and kicker Graham Gano of the Washington Redskins were giving instruction to campers.

It was a chance to watch – and learn – from two of the best kickers in the NFL.

“Everybody is there to get better, to improve, especially at this camp,” said Fields, the Dolphins punter the past four seasons. “One thing (camp director) Rick (Sang) gets across to the kids is to be their own coaches. Know what they did well and what they didn’t do well and know how to correct it.”

Being a punter or kicker can be a lonely existence in high school. They are often left to solve their own mechanics, Fields said.

“A lot of our high school coaches are either volunteering or have some other type of (coaching) job they do (besides special teams),” he said. “As they grew up, they were taught a certain way. It’s not always right or helpful.”

Which, Fields says, is why camps like Prokicker.com, that provide individual instruction to each camper, is vital toward making progress as a kicker. Fields was able to interact with players one-on-one in a teaching situation that simply doesn’t have a price tag.

“Being out here with the caliber of guys that they have at this camp is unbelievable,” said camper Nick Tankersley. “I mean, it was the punter for the Dolphins and the kicker for the Redskins. It’s great to hear what they have to say about you.”

Fields, who grew up on the soccer field, showed promise as a younger kicker and punter.

“When I took it a little more seriously, I started to get recruited,” he said. “I ended up finding out about Rick (a former college player at Eastern Kentucky University) and did some private sessions with him. It helped me tremendously.”

Fields endorses the Prokicker.com camps because of their track record in helping campers obtain college scholarships through improving their skills.

“There are so many little things that can help out guys and make stuff easier,” Fields said. “It’s not rocket science but there’s not a lot of good kicking camps across the country.”

Fields said if a punter or kicker is serious about elevating his game, then the Prokicker.com camp is a good place to look.

Fields came over to the camp at Manatee High School on his own to give back to the Prokicker.com camp that helped him so much.

Besides being the punter for the Dolphins, he is also the holder on field goals and extra points. Fields, who is 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds, doesn’t mind bringing down a return man if necessary.

“I average 3-4 tackles every year,” he said. “It’s not the best thing if I actually have to make a tackle. I can bring them down, I just can’t catch them.”

Fields averaged 46.2 yards per kick in 2010 and had a memorable game against the Jets when he punted 10 times for a 56.4-yard average. His punting was the difference in the Dolphins recording a 10-6 victory over the Jets in windy conditions. Despite the swirling conditions, Fields found some serious power in his right leg. Three times he launched kicks over 60 yards (69, 62 and 61), and he also added a 58-yarder, two 56-yarders and a 53-yarder). He finished with 10 punts for 564 yards, an average of 56.4 yards per kick.

“Only one other time in my career had I punted that many times,” he said. “I contributed so much to the team by changing field position.”

Fields was being modest. His strong punting leg was credited with getting the Dolphins the victory. It also earned him praise from Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano and Bill Parcells, Miami’s VP of Football Operations.

Fields has averaged 44.9 yards per punt during his three seasons with the Dolphins, who selected him in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft.

Fields punted in college for Michigan State University where he was a finalist for the Ray Guy Award – given to the nation’s top punter – after his sophomore season. He was a consensus first-team Big Ten punter for the Spartans and has proven himself NFL worthy, too.

 “I feel more confident in what I can do even than what I’ve shown,” he said. “I’m proud of my resume but, at the same time, I know every single year how many punters are graduating college and also guys from years past out of a job, looking. I’m always trying to perfect my skills, perfect my craft.”

Fields said he’s been working out with a core group of Dolphins as the NFL lockout plays out in the courts. He expects to be playing in the fall.

“There’s a group of us that have been working out together before the lockout started and we’ve been sticking to that,” he said. “I’ve been working with the long-snapper and the kicker, getting together regularly.”

Fields said they have 1.3 seconds to make the kick on field goals from the time the football is snapped.

“We’re always doing the same type of field goal work,” he said. “We do hundreds of reps. I know exactly where the ball is going. If there’s a bad one, which there rarely is, I know where my snappers misses are.”

The work ethic that Fields demonstrates was passed on to the campers last weekend. He took some snaps from Nathan Theus, the top long-snapper in the nation who signed a full scholarship with the University of Georgia in February. He was actually able to give Theus a tip that was put to good use immediately.

The next Prokicker.com camp comes up this weekend in the Charlotte, N.C., area. Go to prokicker.com to register for the camp and learn more.

By Mark Maynard / Prokickernews.com Editor

Nathan Chapman, who runs ProkickAustralia.com programs and has had several Division I punters signed to scholarships, has learned a lot from the instructors at Prokicker.com Ray Guy kicking Academy.

And vice-versa.

The technique of the drop punt that is used in the NFL is being taught at the Prokicker.com camps.

“You used to drop the ball nice and flat,” said Prokicker.com camp director Rick Sang. “They drop the nose down a little punt where you hit the bottom tip of the ball where it goes end over end. That’s why it’s so popular in the NFL and the pro guys are learning to do it. It eliminates the guessing, so you have a lot more control and placement.”

Sang said the Australian kickers are “like magicians. It’s fun to watch them at a camp.”

Chapman send sang a DVD several years ago and came over and trained with Ray Guy. Chapman was trying to get a tryout with an NFL team, which he eventually did. He was in the Green Bay Packers training camp in 2004 and kicked in three preseason games. Chapman considers kicking in front of 70,000 fans one of his greatest thrills.

Chapman’s Prokickaustralia.com program is for potential college and NFL players. He was an Australian Rules professional player for 10 years and selected No. 2 overall in the 1992 national draft.

The instructors at the Prokicker.com camps teach the end-over-end punting technique – the only kicking camp that provides that skill set.

For information on the next Prokicker.com Ray Guy kicking Academy, visit prokicker.com.

By Mark Maynard / Prokickernews.com Editor

When Nathan Chapman takes on a kicker to train in his ProKick Australia program, he expects them to perform.

And that’s what is selling his brand in the United States.

“He’s got several guys already in college football and he has some phenoms coming,” said Rick Sang, the director of Prokicker.com, who has aligned himself with Chapman’s program. “The style of football they play, they grow up on football. Over here our kids grow up kicking soccer balls.”

The biggest challenge that Chapman faces is getting the college coaches here to understand the talent being developed. That’s why it’s important for the Australian kickers from his program to shine on the college or even NFL level.

“We’re getting a lot more exposure with the award that each kid is getting,” said Chapman, who worked his way to an NFL tryout and was in camp with the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears a few years ago.  “Coaches feel a little more at ease.”

Sang, who is highly respected in the coaching community for his kicking expertise, has helped Chapman makes inroads in the United States.

“The first time we went over, Rick trusted me and coaches were dealing with me,” he said. “He told them ‘Nathan knows what he’s talking about, I’ve seen these guys.’ When an American kicking coach like Rick said that, it made the next trip that much easier. Coaches started to call us, asking ‘Who’s in your program? Who’s in junior colleges?’ They were getting on board with me.”

Sang aligned himself with Chapman because he believed in the training and type of athlete that was coming out of the program.

Chapman also has to sell the college game, especially, to his players. It’s not the college game they’re used to seeing in Australia. While the pro football is huge in Australia, the college level is a lot less popular.

“Wives and girlfriends turn up,” he said. “There might be 50 spectators. It’s hard for them to imagine (the U.S. crowds). They just don’t get it. It’s frustrating. We see guys who will come in and kick the ball a mile. We’ll say ‘You’ve got to do this program.’ They’ll say ‘I might do it when the season finishes.’ It’s important to get the guys in the program so we can train them long enough.”

There are some things that need to be learned.

The adjustment to a different ball and the sequence of taking the snap and executing the punt with pressure coming isn't easy. The Aussie game, in which players kick on the run, builds strong legs but not the technical prowess and directional skills required in American football.

“Not matter what position you play over here, you have to be able to kick the football,” Chapman explained. “You have to be able to kick. Everyone can do it. In the game over here, the good ones find their way to the stop. Not that they get specific coaching. You learn and teach yourself growing up. Guys who have more natural ability and athletic skills find themselves playing professionally in Australia.”

But Chapman’s experience and training in the U.S. has led him to understand better how to develop kickers for college or the NFL.

“Kids coming to our program, they do it a certain way,” Chapman said. “They’ve got the fundamentals down. We’re pretty strict on their training. Mediocrity doesn’t wash with us. We don’t edit their film. We show 12 to 15 kids and we’re not trying to hide their imperfections.”

When Chapman recommends a player to a college in the U.S., he’s convinced that the player will excel. He said many college coaches won’t “look outside the box” but they will be missing out. Chapman understands ProKick Australia’s reputation is riding on every recruit that comes to the U.S.

“I know the college level, I know the NFL level,” he said. “We’ve got powerful kids in the program in America and we’re starting to get noticed.”

Chapman only deals with college coaches who have an offer on the table. “I’m not going to play the game of recruiting,” he said. “We tell them ‘We’ll get serious when you’re serious. These guys are the real deal.’ If they’re talking walk-on, they’re not serious.

“We believe in these kids. We know we’ll get them a deal and know they’re worthy of a deal. If they’re not worthy, we won’t present them for a scholarship”

Chapman trains his players with helmets on and also purchased a Jugs machine to simulate the snaps.

“One of the hardest things to find in American high school football is great punters,” Sang said. “Part of it is they’re usually just late bloomers, kids who have been kicking a soccer ball.”

Chapman is dealing with players who already know how to kick and kick well. He’s had several American success stories.

One is University of Memphis freshman punter Hornsey, a 6-foot-3  ex-Australian Rules Football Player from Geelong, Australia. Hornsey was named to the Football Writers Association of America Freshman All-America Team.

He didn’t see his first college football game until punting in Memphis’s opener at Mississippi State. His first career kick went 56 yards.

Hornsey averaged 42.7 yards on 80 punts and 24 of his kicks were inside the opponents’ 20.

“And he didn’t think he had a particularly good year,” Chapman said.

Eastern Kentucky University’s Jordan Berry, a 6-foot-5, 190-pound redshirt freshman from Australia, provides some extra hop with his rugby-style punting skills.

Berry’s hop-step-and-punt style actually was honed on the football field — playing Australian Rules football. He played the Aussie game for high school and club teams.

Midway through his junior year, Berry became interested in playing American football. He had seen a pair of Australians, Philadelphia Eagles punter Sav Rocca and the Arizona Cardinals' Ben Graham, on television.

A prolific kicker, Berry played the Australian game through his senior year.

He also played American football in 2008 for the Western Crusaders, as well as for Australia in the 2009 Junior World Championship of American Football qualifier against New Zealand.

Once out of high school, he turned his attention to the American game, practicing for about half a year before attending camps in California and Nevada.

At one camp, run by Rick Sang, a former EKU player, he met Colonels snapper and holder Jacob Claycomb and Taylor Long. Encouraged, Berry got in touch with EKU special teams coach Dane Damron and a Colonel was born.

Berry was one of the nation’s top punters and was named to the All-Ohio Valley Conference Newcomer Team.

Portland State’s Thomas Duyndam, a Prokicker.com academy alumnus, came through ProkickAustrlia’s program, too. He has played American football for only three years but averaged 42.6 per punt in 2010, which ranks him No. 3 in school history.

Another scholarship player from Chapman’s program is Alex Dunnachie, at Hawaii.

Dunnachie, 6-2 and 220 pounds, was one of the top punters at a Prokicker.com academy in 2009 where he had several punts with hang times in excess of five seconds.

Chapman, who has an NFL program and a college program with Prokick Australia, played three preseason games with the Packers in 2004. However, he admits that he was naïve. He sent out videos to NFL teams and also began working with Sang at camps.

He highly endorses Sang’s methods and the Prokicker.com camps, saying flatly there are none better.

“I’ve been to other camps and Rick’s camp is so thorough,” he said. “The other camps, they are what you get out of it. Rick’s camp has great instruction, people to talk to and associate with. It’s getting well known that he’s the guy to go to.”

By Rick Sang – Director Ray Guy Prokicker.com kicking camps

Ray Guy is considered the greatest punter in the history of the National Football League, yet through a 14-year professional career he does not have the record for the most punting titles, he does not have the record for the longest punt, and he does not have the best career punting average (he’s not even listed in the top 20). So why is it, when you ask who is the greatest quarterback, running back, receiver or any other position for that matter, football fans and experts can debate numerous names with such passion, yet when you ask any one of them who is the greatest punter of all-time…? The answer without hesitation is … Ray Guy. 

Really good punters may not always lead the league in punting average but they always strive to punt in the way that benefits the team. The one phenomenal achievement that separated Ray Guy from all the rest is that he never had a punt returned on him for a touchdown…NEVER!

Now how was this accomplished?

1) PRECISION PLACEMENT

The punter needs to know the game situation, the alignment of the opponents and the direction in which he wants to punt the ball (target area). Every time the ball is punted (during practice or in a game) the ball needs to be directed toward a specific target. Only then, can a punter truly develop consistent, accurate control and placement.

2) MAXIMIZE HANG TIME

Hang time – Ray Guy invented it. John Madden is quoted saying that ”Ray sometimes kept the football up in the air for as long as six seconds!” Ray’s secret was knowing specifically where he wanted to place the footall. He was a master at it. And he knew that by selecting an exact target, the punter can focus his entire punting motion in that direction, thus maximizing hang time. Beginning with the initial step, everything – steps, hips, shoulders, leg swing, punting foot, and follow-through – should be done in a direct line with and square to (facing) the target. The forward motion of the body moving in a direct line will ensure the generation of maximum power and control. Proper mechanics can also be determined when the punter aligns with his target from start to finish. NOTE: OPTIMUM HANG TIME 4.0 OR BETTER (HIGH SCHOOL), 4.5 OR BETTER (COLLEGE AND PRO).

3) OPTIMIZE DISTANCE

A common practice by the truly great punters is to “sacrifice distance for hang time.” It’s not about how far you can punt, its how effective. A high gross punting average is not the goal; its punting in the manner that most benefits the team!  And if you truly want to enhance hang time, the secret is to optimize the distance the ball travels in the air. Consider this: A football punted 45 yards with 4.0 hang time is likely to be caught and returned (let’s say for 5 yards). Another ball is punted for 40 yards with a 4.5 hang time and it is likely to be caught but NOT returned (The coverage team simply has more time and less distance to travel). Both punts finish with the same net distance (40 yards) but it was the second punt that was most effective because there was NO return. And if there was NO return that means there was NO chance whatsoever for one to be returned all the way! So if you want to have the most effective punt coverage team, you will want to lead in two main statistical categories; net punting and Percentage of punts NOT returned. By setting these two objectives for your team you will see a dramatic change in your coverage.

4) MINIMIZE THE COVERAGE AREA

Always be prepared to direct the flight of the ball to a specific area that would minimize the coverage area and allow the cover team to quickly “blanket” the return man. Take advantage of the closest sideline when the ball is placed on or near the hash. If the ball is positioned in the middle of the field, (or anytime there is an overload or you feel there is too much pressure coming from the outside) then consider punting the ball straight downfield with maximum hang time and optimum distance. Remember; when you combine precision placement with maximum hang time, and optimum distance, your coverage team can cover everywhere on the field effectively!

5) CHALLENGE THE RETURN MAN

To control returns and minimize big plays you must challenge the return man. It’s tough enough catching a high towering punt, but when you add strategically placed punts to the mix; he has a lot more to think about. For instance if the ball is near midfield and on the hash, instead of punting out of bounds (or in to the end zone), aim for a specific target well outside the numbers on the 10 yard line. The objective is to obtain maximum hang time with an optimum punt of near 40 yards and no farther. By positioning the ball in this tight proximity the punt returner would have to make a decision to catch the ball or let it go; if he let’s it go, it will hang long enough to be downed by the coverage team or the flight path may allow the ball to continue on out of bounds (well inside the 20 yard line). If the return man decides to catch it, he will not have much room to work with because of the placement of the punt near the sideline. And by combining effective placement with hang time you have virtually eliminated any return. (Not to mention there is always a chance for the ball to be mishandled by the return man). The goal: 40 yard punt; no return; field position inside the 20 (or better).