Charitable Kicking

The kicking community is certainly involved in charitable endeavors, as we glimpsed in our look at Kicking in Haiti. That is just one example within the global big picture, which addresses a wide and diverse array of causes. Following are just a few more examples.

Morten Andersen Family Foundation

The purpose of the foundation: to affect positive change among children and youth locally, regionally, nationally and globally. The ideology behind the foundation: Pay it forward to the next generation, Affect positive change among youth regardless of race, sex, religion or nationality. Areas of emphasis and focus: Education and scholarships, Quality of life for children and youth with emphasis on preventing obesity through fitness (i.e. NFL play 60 program), President’s National Council on Fitness.

Matt Stover Foundation

The Matt Stover Foundation was formed in 2002 to centralize the Stover family’s contributions. The foundation will only make gifts to be used for charitable purposes. In short, the mission of the Matt Stover Foundation is to provide financial support to under-funded educational, religious and other charitable organizations.

The Goulden Touch
Because Robbie Gould feels strongly about giving back to those in need, starting a public charity in 2011 was the perfect way to begin his dream. Upon the creation of The Goulden Touch, Robbie found it difficult to pinpoint just one specific area of need. With the help of his Board of Directors, they created “The Goulden Rules” to provide noticeable impacts amongst Chicago organizations.  Since its inception, The Goulden Touch has partnered with several key organizations to Education, Social Services, Health and Wellness, and Medical Research.

David Akers Kicks for Kids

David Akers Kicks for Kids is a charity organization that provides assistance to the children and families being cared for at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. David's desire to give back to the community, as well as to help young people an families in need, motivated him to establish the David Akers' Kicks for Kids organization in the fall of 2001. David is continuing his Kicks for Kids mission in San Francisco by participating in the 49ers Cares Program by supplying 20 tickets and 20 food vouchers to the Ronald McDonald House to distribute to families to attend each home game this season.

Canadian Cancer Society - Société canadienne du cancer

We are a national, community-based organization of volunteers, whose mission is the eradication of cancer and the enhancement of the quality of life of people living with cancer.

Nous sommes un organisme bénévole national, à caractère communautaire, dont la mission est l'éradication du cancer et l'amélioration de la qualité de vie des personnes touchées par le cancer.

[thanks to Calgary Stampeders punter Rob Maver for drawing our attention to this organization]

Kicking 4 Celiac Foundation

"I am extremely excited for the future of this foundation, as well as for the Celiac Disease community. With more and more support groups, and more people genuinely concerned about the lack of awareness, we hope that this will spur a rise in education, a rise in diagnosis, and reduce the number of undiagnosed and misdiagnosed cases."

- kicker/founder Craig Pinto

Feely Family Foundation - World Ministries Football Club
The Feely Family Foundation, which focuses on the protection, education, and rehabilitation of children, sponsors the World Ministries Football Club, The foundation grants scholarships based on financial need, educational achievement, and community service. The foundation also supports worthy charities in their efforts to help provide hope to our children. World Ministries Football Club encourages and supports the aspirations of our players to further pursue educational and playing opportunities beyond high school. This would include assisting each player explore all the possibilities available and enabling or providing scholarships to overcome the financial needs.

The Rob Bironas Fund

Created to provide a dynamic funding platform that brings together the children of Music City and the rich musical opportunities that only Nashville, Tennessee can offer. The Fund is dedicated to enriching the community by financing the tools, education and leadership necessary to help children achieve scholastic excellence.

RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network)
The nation's largest anti-sexual assault organization. RAINN operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1.800.656.HOPE and the National Sexual Assault Online Hotline at rainn.org, and publicizes the hotline's free, confidential services; educates the public about sexual assault; and leads national efforts to prevent sexual assault, improve services to victims and ensure that rapists are brought to justice.
[supported by Penn State alumni, including Kickology]

Brian Moorman PUNT Foundation
In 2004, Brian Moorman and his wife Amber created Brian Moorman’s P.U.N.T. Foundation to make a difference in the lives of children in Western New York who are fighting cancer. The mission of the P.U.N.T. Foundation is to provide children affected by cancer and their families with the opportunities and support to enjoy the life for which they fight so hard. The Foundation provides assistance, valuable family-centered programs and events designed to enrich their lives, provide them with support and create memorable experiences.

Nick Lowery Youth Foundation

Nation Building for Native Youth (NBNY) is a life-changing empowerment program for Native youth grades 10 - 12 and their adult advisors. NBNY programs represent 25 tribes from Northern Plains, Great Lakes, Southeast, Southern Plains, New Mexico and Arizona. The long-term goals of the program are to enable Native youth to lead positive, successful lives and ultimately serve and lead their communities into a new era of not only sovereignty, but also robust economic, social and political health.


If you know of any other organizations to add to this list, please let us know.

The 2013 Post-Draft AFC West Specialists Landscape

Following free-agency, the NFL draft, and the flurry of undrafted signings, here is a snapshot of the current specialists in the AFC West:

Denver Broncos

• K Matt Prater, returning starter
• P Britton Colquitt, returning starter
• P Ryan Doerr (Kansas State), undrafted rookie free agent signing
• LS Aaron Brewer, returning starter

Kansas City Chiefs

• K Ryan Succop, returning starter
• P Dustin Colquitt, returning starter re-signed March 4th
• LS Thomas Gafford, returning starter re-signed March 19th

Oakland Raiders 

• K Sebastian Janikowski, returning starter
• K Eddie Carmona, free agent re-signed on April 30th
• P Chris Kluwe, probable new starter, free agent signing on May 16th, will compete with...
• P Marquette King, second year player returning from IR
• LS Jon Condo, returning starter

San Diego Chargers

• K Nick Novak, returning starter re-signed March 10th
• P Mike Scifres, returning starter
• P Richard Kent (Vanderbilt), undrafted rookie free agent signing
• LS Mike Windt, returning starter coming off IR, re-signed March 9th
• LS Kyle Nelson, signed last November after Windt was injured

The final AAUGH!

Yesterday we revisited the first batch of reactions to a Charlie Brown and Lucy classic. We showed kickers, punters and coaches a still from the clip below, and then asked them the following questions:

A. What was your gut reaction or initial thought when you first saw the image just now?
B. After at least an hour later, any additional comments you’d like to add?

Today, we look at a few more responses along with some closing comments from someone intimately familiar with the situation.

Michael Husted, NFL kicker 1993-2002, National Camp Series

A. I laughed and said, "That's not cool."

B. I guess Charlie Brown didn't get the "fake field goal call."

C. Laces out Lucy...

Rob Maver, Calgary Stampeders punter

It reminded me of my holders in college until my third year when I got settled in with my great guy. It also reminded me of the first training camp practice when we were auditioning new holders with the exception of the two guys I've rolled with this season!

Craig Pinto, Kicking 4 Celiac

A. Thankfully that's never happened in real life.

B. Thinking about how old I am by looking at that cartoon.

Cartoonist Charles M. Schulz, the creator of the Peanuts comics, once commented:

"I'm astonished at the number of people who write to me saying, 'Why can't you create happy stories for us? Why does Charlie Brown always have to lose? Why can't you let him kick the football?' Well, there is nothing funny about the person who gets to kick the football."

The final word on the matter? Only months before he passed away, Schulz discussed the topic on two occasions:

Schulz had been asked if, for his final Peanuts strip, Charlie Brown would finally get to kick that football after so many decades. His response: "Oh, no! Definitely not! I couldn't have Charlie Brown kick that football; that would be a terrible disservice to him after nearly half a century." Yet, in a December 1999 interview, holding back tears, he recounted the moment when he signed the panel of his final strip, saying, “All of a sudden I thought, 'You know, that poor, poor kid, he never even got to kick the football. What a dirty trick — he never had a chance to kick the football!'”

AAUGH!

What kicker and holder duo have worked together the longest? By far it is Charlie Brown and Lucy van Pelt, whose 59th work anniversary is coming up next month. Despite their longevity, success has eluded them:

Perhaps Lucy's most famous gimmick in her long existence as a character is the one in which she pulls the football away from Charlie Brown right as he is about to kick it.

The first occasion on which she did this was November 16, 1952, taking over for Violet, who had previously (yet unintentionally) subjected Charlie Brown to this trick on November 14, 1951, for fear that Charlie Brown would accidentally kick her instead of the ball. Afterward, Lucy would always intentionally pull the football away from Charlie Brown to trick him. The most infamous example of this is the animated special "It's Your First Kiss, Charlie Brown", where her actions cost the football team the Homecoming game, yet Charlie Brown is blamed even though he is clearly not at fault.

What do live specialists think of this animated pair? Last year at this time, we asked kickers, punters and coaches the following:

A. What was your gut reaction or initial thought when you first saw the above image just now?

B. After at least an hour later, any additional comments you’d like to add?

Mike Hollis, NFL kicker 1995-2002, ProForm Kicking Academy

My first thought when I saw this picture was that this would definitely be me if the ball was taken from me that late in the kick. However, and unfortunately, there are many kickers out there that would not even fall backwards because of how much they bend over at the ball! Too many "crunchers" out there!

Tony Smidl, Wisconsin Wolfpack kicker 2010

A. I thought it was upside down and needed to be rotated, but his follow through is good and his leg is locked, however his head is up. Had he kept his head down, he would have seen her take the ball away.

B. It's still funny. He needs to skip forward when kicking so he doesn't fall on his butt.

Filip Filipovic, The Kicking Coach

I had a holder in high school who did this to me as a joke. I almost injured myself trying to stop/slow down my leg swing in mid kick. This cartoon gives dumb holders bad ideas. Maybe media does affect kids negatively.

Chris Husby, Special Teams Football Academy

I always loved this photo. Always one of those "back of the mind" fears when you are kicking a field goal. Not that the holder would do it, but slipping as I'm about to kick the ball.

Carlos Ojeda, Lakeland Raiders kicker

Lucy must have taken the other team (-2.5)!!

Craig Hentrich,  NFL punter 1994-2009, LEGacy Kicking

A. A HOLDER'S DREAM!!!

B. A HOLDER'S DREAM!!!

Nathan Chapman, ProKick Australia

I know this is a big American cartoon and I read it as a youngster, but not this one. Makes me laugh and I think 'yeah, like always, kicker gets the short straw'.

John Matich, The Kicking System

A. I think of all the offensive lineman trying to kick field goals before practice starts. Almost every walk-thru in college all the lineman would try to kick and occasional Charlie Brown would occur. Sometimes they didn’t even need to move the ball away.

B. Pop Warner players trying to do the same thing... 

Chris Kluwe, Minnesota Vikings punter 2005-2012

A: That's gotta be a torn ACL.

B: Man, Lucy is such a b#%$&. Charlie Brown should kick her right in the head.

Denis Boisclair, L'École de botteurs Denis Boisclair

Girls can kick too! 

 

Lee McDonald, Special Teams Solutions

A. You are only as good as your holder! Learn proper holding technique and work with your holder to perfect their skills. They can make or break you!

B. The kicker is often the butt of every football player's joke; it gets old, so don't be that weird kicker that makes the rest of us look bad!

The 2013 Post-Draft CFL West Specialists Landscape

Following free-agency and the CFL draft, here is a snapshot of the current specialists in the West Division:

B.C. Lions

• K/P Paul McCallum, returning starter
• K/P Hugh O'Neill, returning backup who'll compete for punting & kickoff roles
• P/K Steven Shott, free agent signing
• LS Tim Cronk, returning starter

Calgary Stampeders

• K Rene Paredes, returning starter
• P Rob Maver, returning starter
• P Dumitru Ionita (Concordia), drafted in the seventh round
• LS Randy Chevrier, returning starter

Edmonton Eskimos

• K/P Grant Shaw, returning starter
• P Burke Dales, returning starter coming off IR (foot)
• LS Ryan King, returning starter coming off IR (shoulder)
• LS Mike Benson, returning backup
• LS Jorgen Hus (Regina), drafted in the fourth round

Saskatchewan Roughriders

• K/P Chris Milo, returning starter who could be challenged by...
• K/P Brody McKnight, acquired by trade on March 1st
• P/K Ricky Schmitt, returning backup who could retain punting role
• LS Cory Huclack, returning starter re-signed in February

The 2013 Post-Draft CFL East Specialists Landscape

Following free-agency and the CFL draft, here is a snapshot of the current specialists in the East Division:

Hamilton Tiger-Cats

• K Luca Congi, returning starter
• K Brett Lauther (Saint Mary's), drafted in the seventh round
• P Josh Bartel, returning starter
• LS Kevin Scott, returning starter

Montreal Alouettes

• K/P Sean Whyte, returning starter
• K William Dion, free agent signing in January
• LS Martin Bédard, returning starter

Toronto Argonauts

• K/P Swayze Waters, returning starter
• K/P Anthony Alix, returning backup
• LS Chad Rempel, returning starter

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

• K Justin Palardy, returning starter
• P Mike Renaud, returning starter who'll be challenged by three additions...
• P Brett Cameron (University of North Dakota), free agent signing in March
• P Tim Hutchison (Australia), free agent signing in May
• P/K Billy Pavlopoulos (British Columbia), drafted in the seventh round
• LS Chris Cvetkovic, returning starter

When I Became a Punter

Some started in high school, some in junior high school and some in elementary school.

Some kicked and punted during their primary education.

Some started on the other side of the world in a different sport that also uses a pointy ball.

Following are the stories of five punters' beginnings.

Ben Graham,
AFL 1993-2004, NFL 2005-20012
"Darren Bennett paved the way for me and the rest of the Australian punters. I first kicked an NFL ball at a workout with the NY Jets in 1997 and then traveled to the US in 2004 after I retired from the AFL to embark on my NFL journey. It took 6 months of intense punting training which helped me win the job at the NY Jets in 2005."

Ryan Donahue, Detroit Lions 2011

"I wasn't a kicker. I was a little wash up who never played on my freshman high school team. I played backup kicker as a toe basher. I had put football behind me and chose to play a different sport instead when I was approached one month before the season opener. I was asked to work with a guy for a week to try to learn to kick properly because the Varsity did not have a kicker. Naturally I said ok. One week later I had a one man tryout in front of the head coach and the entire team. I guess I was good enough. Not one month later I'm playing in my first varsity game as a sophomore. I have never wavered on gratitude whenever someone asks me how I learned to kick. His name is JJ Standring. Punter for Northwestern from '97-01. He had just joined the coaching staff after college. He helped me to become the conference offensive MVP in the #1 conference in the state. Not to mention All State and All American."

Chris Husby, Special teams Football Academy
"I started kicking footballs on my middle school team mainly because I has a soccer background.  I didn't start punting until my freshman year of college, when after the first day of "two a days," 4 kickers stepped up to compete for the 2nd and 3rd string spot.  The coaches had a shortage of punters and they felt that I had the strongest leg out of the group of kickers, and asked me to try punting as well.  From then on, I was a punter and a kicking specialist second.  I pursued the NFL with a focus on punting.  If it weren't for my college coaches thinking I had a chance to be a good punter, I would never have had the opportunities that I did after college."

Louie Aguiar, NFL punter1991-2000
“When I was a senior in high school, I punted really well. Then I was getting recruited by some junior colleges in California to punt, so I said, ‘maybe this can be my meal ticket’. I just wanted to get into college and get my education paid for. Having three older brothers in college at the same time, I wanted to help my mom and dad out. That’s how I got into punting. I really enjoyed it. Punting and kicking."

Brian Stahovich, Buffalo Bills
I started out in 5th grade. I wanted to kick because my dad kicked in high school and he was working with the kicker on our Pop Warner team. So I started to kick, but knew I didn’t have the leg strength then, I could barely get the ball to roll. It was BAD. But I knew if I kept kicking I would get better. I kicked for three years in Pop Warner, four years in high school, where I also started at cornerback, and four years in college [at San Diego State University].