Expert: Vic Winnek - 2/4/2008

Question
hi i am a college student from Australia who has been playing  soccer for the last 10 yrs of my life.
i have 2 years left on college and i am really interested in playing American Football, just wondering if you would know of any colleges that would give me a shot at college football.
i have tried a few kicks with an official ball and i have been making 30-40 yards consistently.
do u think i have a chance at college football....preferably a scholarship
cheers

Answer
Yane
I have not forgotten about you.  There is a kicking coach in Australia (John Smith in Melbourne) he played in the NFL & CFL and is good about getting Australian kickers into US Colleges.  I am trying to get his contact information  for you.  This may be very helpful for you.  The scholarship may be an issue and you eligibility.  You may only have 2 years of eligibility.  A school's "NCAA Rules Compliance Officer" will need to help determine if you have 2 or more years of eligibility.

You can get started by contacting the various football offices throughout the US by going to the Universities' web-site and contacting the Athletic department.  To be honest your competition will be making at least 40-48 yard field goals consistently.  You will also need to let the schools know if you can drop kick and how far with an American football; how far you can kick off; how skilled you are with short kicks and if you can punt (distance and hang time).

I will follow up with John Smith's information.


Best of luck,

Vic Winnek



YANE
YOUR QUESTION WAS THREE-FOLD:
1. ARE THERE any colleges that would give you a shot at college football?
2. Did I think you have a chance at playing  college football as a kicker?
3. Informationabout colleges where you might get a scholarship.

FIRST, BUT FOR THE FACT THAT YOU ARE NOT IN THE US RATHER IN AUSTRALIA, I WOULD NOT HAVE ANSWERED THIS QUESTION OR SPENT THE TIME RESEARCHING THE INFORMATION YOU SOUGHT.  THE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE THROUGH THE INTERNET, THROUGH VARIOUS PERIODICALS AND UNIVERSITY CATALOGS. THE RATING YOU GAVE REGARDING TIMELINESS IS TRULY UNFAIR GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF WORK AND TIME IT REQUIRES (TRYING TO FIND A COLLEGE FOR YOU THAT IS OFFERING A SCHOLARSHIP TO A KICKER FROM AUSTRALIA WHO HAS NO FOOTBALL EXPERIENCE BUT WHO CAN KICK 30-40 YARD FIELDGOALS WHO MAY ONLY HAVE 2 YEARS OF ELIGIBILITY).  YANE, THE TASK YOU ASKED ME TO DO AND THE ANSWERS YOU SOUGHT - HAVE TAKING ME SEVERAL DAYS AND HOURS OF CONTACTING MY COACHING CONTACTS.  RATHER THAN TELL YOU YOU ARE INEXPERIENCED AND THERE WAS NO MAJOR COLLEGE LET ALONE A SMALL COLLEGE THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN YOU.  I CONTINUED WITH MY EFFORTS.  I ADVISED YOU THAT I HAD A CONTACT IN AUSTRALIA WHO WAS A KICKING COACH AND A FORMER NFL KICKER WHO MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP YOU.   YOU RATING OF MY KNOWLEDGE IS UNFOUNDED.  SON, THE EFFORTS AND RESOURCES I HAVE EXPLORED ON YOUR BEHALF OVER THE PAST WEEK WOULD RATE A 10 FOR KNOWLEDGE AND OVER ALL EXPERTISE.

I ADVISED THAT I WOULD BE FOLLOWING UP WITH AN AUSTRALIAN CONTACT.  I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM HIM AS OF YET.  


If you want the status of the opinions of the coaches I have contacted to see if they might have a position available for you and a scholarship:  The status is not likely.  The Div. III coaches said they'd give you a chance to walk on; not one of the Div. 1 or 1-AA coaches were impressed with your abilities and a Jr. College coach would be willing to try to work with you in his program but the problem is you have 2 years of college already.  I will now not follow up to this question as It really is a homework type question that you could have done yourself.


I WILL CEASE MY EFFORTS ON YOUR BEHALF AS I AM OF THE IMPRESSION YOU DO NOT APPRECIATE THEM. YOUR RATING OF MY REPLY BEFORE IT WAS COMPLETE WAS INAPPROPRIATE AND WITHOUT MERIT.  AND CERTAINLY YOU FAIL TO COMPREHEND THE AMOUNT OF WORK I HAVE UNDERTAKEN ON YOUR BEHALF.