Birth of the Boot: Wrong Turn Chapter 2

Due to my coaches’ lack of kicking and punting knowledge. They didn’t know how to advance my game and make me a better kicker/punter (K/P). I had to look up my own drills watching YouTube videos. The special team’s coach said, “you know more than me kid, I can’t teach you anything”. I asked him how was I going to get better if I didn’t have someone coaching me? The next day when I saw him on campus, he told me he signed me up for a 1on 1 training session with an ex NFL kicker coach for about 4 hours. 

 I thought “finally, I can get some real work in and get some real coaching.” He told me the session will be $260 and he would pay for it. He proceeded to tell me that I will need to talk to my teachers because I would be leaving at six in the morning and I would miss class. Later that day in practice Coach K special teams’ coach, Coach Dean defensive back coach, And Coach Frances the defensive coordinator. We were all talking about me going to the kicking session, but when coach k walked away Frances asked me can you afford it and I said coach k was paying for it. He said, “oh ok that’s what’s up” and acting as if nothing was wrong, and he even said, “it’s good you gone get some real work in with a pro guy” .At this point all the coaches knew what was going on and where I was going so I thought.  

The next day we head to St. Cloud for the training session then stopped for food. As we are pulling off, he tells me if anyone asks, you paid for my food and to say no if anyone asks If I paid for anything else including the gas. At that point I kind of thought something wasn’t right by the statements he had told me, but I didn’t say or question anything. Why would I question the one coach trying to make me better and get me to the next level? A dream come true I thought. All my life all I wanted was some getting some real work with someone who played or coached for the NFL. Now I have the chance to prove and get some real constructive criticism on my future as a kicker / punter. I was very confident but to hear it from a pro guy would seal the deal.