12 Jul 10 2010 Youth New Jersey Kicking Camp Re-Cap
We had our 2010 youth kicking camp at Toms River North High School on Sunday, July 11, 2010. The day was a major success as there were Pop Warner football players from all over Ocean County in attendance. Jersey Shore Pop Warner Football League (JSPWFL) represented the camp to the fullest with players coming from Toms River Raiders PW, Jackson PW, Lakewood PW, Lacey PW and Point Pleasant Beach PW. The morning kicking camp was focused on kicking fundamentals 101, teamwork, building friendships and having fun!
Our youth kicking camp is geared toward the beginner kicker and punter who wants to learn the basics and some intermediate skills in a fun atmosphere. We teach you everything you need to learn to kick a field goal, punt a football and kickoff more effectively with more confidence. In Pop Warner football most leagues award a PAT (extra point) kick as 2 points versus the normal 1 point. This is an added value for a team if they have a kicker who can consistently make their extra points. Unfortunately most youth football players never learn how to kick field goals and the coaches have to settle on trying to run it in or throw for 1 point after the touchdown. However if you come to one of our youth kicking camps this need is addressed and you will learn how to kick consistent field goals! At a Kicking World youth kicking camp each player develops a foundation in football kicking and punting as well as team work and discipline that will help them the rest of their football careers.
This year we had a ‘fun’ competition for field goal kicking and kickoffs. We had a battle in the 10 year old group with Aidan Schell (10) 1st place of Jackson Pop Warner ultimately edging out Rashaun Reeves (10) 2nd place of Lakewood Pop Warner with a last second pressure field goal. In the 11/12 year old group we had a clear winner in Daniel Van Clef (12) of Jackson Pop Warner. The kickoff competition was very exciting as Tyler Sosa (12) of Toms River Raiders PW earned 1st place by edging out Todd Stueber (11) 2nd place of Toms River Raiders PW by only 1 yard to make it one of the closest kickoff competitions in a long time!
It was great to be back in New Jersey and we really look forward to working with more and more Pop Warner football kickers and punters in the future. Thanks to Jersey Shore Pop Warner Football League for sending your players to the kicking camp. We look forward to having you back in Toms River next year! Be sure to check out all the photos and videos from the kicking camp!
Tags: Football Kicking Camps, Kicking Camp, Kicking Competition, New Jersey Kicking Camp, Youth Kicking Camp
27 Jun 10 2010 Texas Kicking Camp Re-Cap
I just got back from our 2010 Texas Kicking Camp at Travis High School in Austin Texas. It was a HOT weekend with temperatures hitting 100+ degrees on the field on Sunday! The football camp had kickers and punters in attendance from as far away as the tip of Oklahoma, Dallas and West Texas. It’s always a pleasure being in Texas- the southern hospitality and the warmth and friendliness of the people is very welcoming. Kicking World goes out to Texas every year to hold a kicking camp and we may even be coming back twice a year for a camp in Austin and Dallas and private kicking lessons based on the increasing requests from parents in Texas.
While the camp was one of our smaller camps with 10 students in attendance; there was nothing small about the talent! We had kickers hitting 45+ yard field goals into the wind and kickoffs a few yards deep in the end zone. Many of the students were beginners who have just started kicking in the last year or so. By the end of the camp everyone improved greatly whether it was learning how to make solid contact consistently or perfecting their ‘hurdle’ follow through on kickoffs or acing their pop-up onside kicks. Each of our students were able to quickly implement what was taught. I find that the smaller kicking camps of less than 20 participants tend to produce quicker results because there is more ’1 on 1′ time with each student.
A trip to Texas is not complete unless you get some Barbecue! I always make a stop at Rudy’s BBQ. This year I ate their famous BBQ beef briscuit and baby back ribs. Man do I miss Rudy’s!
Enough of the food talk and on to the competition results! At our camp this year we broke out the competitions into 3 age groups. We had the 13, 14 and 15 year olds in one group, 16 year olds in one group, and the 17 year olds in another group. As we always do- our camp is focused on instruction but at the end of each phase (field goals, punting, kickoffs) we hold a kicking competition. The field goal competition showed excellent kicking skills from all and in particular Chris Nichols of Vista Ridge HS, Austin Barton of Cypress Christian and Cory Patton of Vista Ridge HS. In the punting competition one student pulled ahead with an easy victory with a 47.5 yard net punt average. The kickoff competition was an exciting duel with Cory Patton of Vista Ridge HS and Anthony Firth (college) going into double over-time where Cory ultimately closed the deal with a 67 yard bomber.
A special thanks goes out to all the generous parents who helped with the ‘camp essentials’, the ball-shagging during the camp and for the great photos and video you all took! It was a pleasure meeting everyone at the camp and I’m really looking forward to coming out to Texas again soon. Check the website and blog with updates and news about any upcoming kicking camps in Texas. I may also be flying out to Austin TX very soon to hold private lessons. Have a great rest of your summer and best wishes for a successful football season! Please remember me next time you’re at Rudy’s!
Tags: Kicking Camp, Kicking Competition, Kicking Lessons, Texas Kicking Camp
18 Jun 10 How to Kick a Football Farther!
Every week I hear “What can my son do to strengthen his leg and kick a football farther?” Today I’m going to give you a few tips to help improve your kicking and punting distance. Contrary to popular belief, kicking a football far is not necessarily due to a ‘strong leg’ but more commonly it is due to a ‘fast leg’ and precise ball striking. One of the easiest ways to immediately improve your distance is to work on striking the ball’s sweet spot with the correct part of your foot. You want to hit the ball with the upper instep of your foot (right at the second shoelace loop from the top of most soccer cleats). If you strike the ball down by your toe or on the middle/side of your foot you’re going to lose a ton of power! You also want to make sure your ankle and knee are ‘locked’ at impact. If you keep your leg or foot loose at impact you will severely cut down your power. In field goal kicking, punting, and kickoffs you want the ball to explode off your foot. See below for two excellent videos that will help you understand the above points.
To improve your leg speed there’s several things you can do and here’s a couple quick tips that will help you:
- Isometric Resistance Band Training (builds the fast-twitch muscle fibers)
- Sprinting short distance (20 to 30 yard wind sprints)
- Improving Flexibility/Stretching (allows your leg to snap through quicker)
- Leg swing motion in shallow end of pool (water resistance improves balance and speed)
Here’s 2 free instructional videos on our YouTube page that will help you with precision and power and kick the football farther. For detailed training tips, practice routines, kicking and punting fundamentals, techniques, mental training tips and more check out the Complete Guide to Kicking & Punting Book!
Tags: Football Kicker Workout, Kicking Instruction, Kicking Training, Kicking Video
12 Jun 10 2010 USC Kicking Camp Thoughts
Coach Brent and a handful of Kicking World students attended the USC Kicking Camp. The 2010 USC Kicking Camp had several kickers and punters in attendance! The camp participation was quite impressive as kickers and punters came from all over California including Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego and even out of state! The kicking camp itself was very long at over 4+ hours. I myself as a kicking coach am very concerned about the amount of balls each participant kicked and punted yesterday. It seemed like many of the kids after the camp were limping off the sidelines obviously due to over-use because of the amount of balls that were kicked. Generally I recommend my kicking students to kick between 40-55 balls a day MAX on a heavy day based on their age, size, and skill level. I believe at the 2010 USC kicking camp most of the participants each kicked and punted well over 75 balls! This could make for many sore hip flexors, groins, and other over-worked muscles. I recommend you all ice up and take it easy until your leg feels back to strength! We firmly believe there is a limit to how much you should kick in one day and it’s important to monitor your kicking volume so you don’t hurt yourself.
COMPETITION RESULTS
Kicking World students fared very well in the kicking camp! One of our students won the kickoff competition for his age group with impressive bombs at 65+ yards! Over half of the Kicking World students placed in the top 3 for field goals and kickoffs in their age group at the USC Kicking Camp! As their private kicking coach I am very proud of my young men and the hard work and great character they exhibited on the field. During and after the camp I had several parents and fans coming up to me asking “Do you coach that kid?!” They wanted to know because there’s something ‘different’ about a Kicking World student.
KICKING WORLD PHILOSOPHY
We not only teach you how to become a better kicker and punter by helping you add more height, consistency, and distance to your ball; but more importantly we teach you how to be great young men with hard work ethics and excellent character that help you stand out from the crowd. I took a lot of pride in watching my young men excel today in the USC Kicking Camp and I feel blessed to have the opportunity to coach each and every one of you! Please keep up the great work and keep representing Kicking World the way you do! Way to work today!
04 Jun 10 Kicking World Kicking Camps Preview Video
We’ve created a compilation video from our 2010 Spring Break kicking camp to show everyone what our football camps are all about. Take a look at this awesome video and witness the action from warm-ups to instruction to competitions to awards presentation. Coach Brent and the staff at Kicking World put their hearts into the camp and we really hope you enjoy the video!
A mashup video of our 2010 Spring Break Kicking Camp at La Jolla High School in San Diego, CA. Kicking World offers performance football kicking & punting camps in California, Texas and New Jersey and year-round private kicking instruction in Orange County and San Diego, CA. Come train with us and improve your field goal form, kickoff technique, and punting skills.
Tags: Football Kicking Camps, Kicking Camp, Kicking Competition, Kicking Instruction, San Diego Kicking Camp
26 Apr 10 2010 Kicking World Golf Tournament
We are planning to hold our very first golf tournament open to all Kicking World students, parents, family, and friends! Coach Brent thought this would be a fun way for other students and parents to get to know each other and to further build our friendships outside of private kicking instruction and kicking camps. A date has not been set yet and we would like to gauge your interest level before making this official. So please, if a golf tournament sounds like fun and you would play and/or are interested in being a sponsor/donor, please e-mail us or call us so we can start putting this together. Looking at the calendar ahead, it would most likely be a Monday or Sunday morning in June or July.
We are looking for: Players, Volunteers, Sponsors
Based on the interest level, we will either make this a full-fledged golf tournament with sponsors, raffles, luncheon, and prizes, or we will make it an informal ‘get together’ with a few foursomes and prizes for things like longest drive, closest to the pin, lowest score, etc. If you or anyone you know has any connections to golf courses in Orange County or San Diego- please let Coach Brent know. Please contact us ASAP if you are interested in being a part of the golf tournament. Our contact information is brent (at) kickingworld.com or 619-564-1333
Tags: golf tournament
02 Apr 10 2010 Spring Break Kicking Camp Re-Cap
On Sunday, March 28th Kicking World kicked off the 2010 kicking camp season at La Jolla High School in sunny San Diego, California! The camp was a major success as 25 students ages 14-17 were in attendance. Students travelled as far as 3 hours away to attend the kicking camp. Check out all the photos from the camp!
Kicking World’s camps are heavily focused on kicking instruction as our camp staff teaches you how to kick field goals, how to punt, and how to kickoff effectively. At the end of each instructional and free-kick period we hold a kicking competition. For this camp we had 3 different competitions with winners determined by age: a 14/15 group and a 16/17 group. There were many camp participants who exhibited some awesome talent! Below, we recognize the kicking camp competition winners.
I’m still getting phone calls and e-mails from parents and students with a lot of positive feedback on the camp and their experience. The common theme is that everyone had fun, enjoyed the kicking competitions, and learned quite a few tips for improving their field goals, punts, kickoffs and onside kicks. One parent in particular expressed his sincere thanks:
The camp was well organized, energetic, well staffed and the kids had a blast that was visible from the stands. Thank you Brent for providing a superb camp and the care you show for the kids. I would and do recommend your camps to everyone with an interest in kicking.” -Mike Sommers
Special Thanks
Thanks to all the students and parents who attended! Special thanks to my camp staff- Coach Jesse, Coach Justin, Carolyn, Austin, Joaquin, and camera men Brian Miller and Mike Robinson. The camp couldn’t have been a success without your help! Your time and efforts are much appreciated. Also, thanks to Wizard Kicking, Athlete’s Performance, and Athletic Quickness for donating the awesome awards we presented to competition winners! Check out all the great pictures from the camp!
Competition Results
Field Goal
In the field goal competition Bret Miller (San Clemente HS) and Conrad Ukropina (Loyola HS) dueled for 12 rounds of head to head competition from 30 yard to 50 yard field goals until finally Conrad beat out Bret with a ‘last second pressure’ 45 yard field goal kick. Conrad won the 16/17 age group and the ‘golden boot award’ as the last man standing in the field goal competition and Bret Miller won the 14/15 age group.
Punting
In the punting competition Nathan Drum turned out an impressive 53.5 yard net punt average and was the overall punting competition winner followed by a close second- Anthony Summers (San Clemente HS) with a 51 yard net average who won his 14/15 age group.
Kickoffs
In the kickoff competition, Kicking World student Christian Rodriguez (Fountain Valley HS) won his 16/17 age group and overall competition winner with an impressive 61 yard kickoff average while Bret Miller, also a Kicking World student came in a close second overall and won his 14/15 age group with a 60 yard kickoff average.
Contact Us
If you would like to attend any of our upcoming football kicking camps, please check our website for camp dates, schedule, itinerary, and registration information. Our website offers free kicking videos, kicking tips, and “The Complete Guide to Kicking & Punting eBook” to help you improve your skills. We hold national kicking camps and year-round private kicking instruction in Southern California. Please feel free to contact us for more information.
Tags: Kicking Camp, Kicking Competition, Kicking Contest, Kicking Instruction, San Diego Kicking Camp
08 Feb 10 Football Kickers Improve Mental Game By Bowling
If you’re a kicker, you know that sometimes the biggest game on Friday night isn’t played on the field; it’s played in your head! The mental kicking game can sometimes be more challenging than being able to kick a 40 yard field goal. Most of us have grown up playing team sports whether it’s Pop Warner Football, Little League Baseball, or Youth Soccer; we’ve all done it. Team sports are great character builders and help you learn how to communicate and work with other people. Kicking however is a completely different experience. As a kicker, it’s just you and you! Over the years I’ve learned a few great individual sports that have helped me as well as some of my students tackle the mental game of kicking. Here’s one sport that will significantly help you stay calm under pressure on Friday night when faced with that last second game-winning field goal opportunity!
Not only is bowling extremely fun, but it can be an excellent tool to help you learn to stay consistent and prolong a streak. A kicker hopes to make every field goal and extra point he tries. A bowler attempts to throw a strike and not leave an open frame by at least getting a spare each time. Doing either is very difficult. A bowler lines up every shot with his eyes, aligns his body, sets his feet, and attempts to replicate the same motion and result one after another (just as a football kicker tries to strike the ball cleanly every time). A bowler has to stare down that long alley, just him, the ball, and the pins. Sound familiar to a kicker? It should! We kickers have to stare at that goalpost, get our body set, approach the football, and deliver a precise kick through those goalposts! Where the learning experience comes in is how you capitalize on your streak, but more importantly how you rebound from your failure. If you start your game off with a gutter ball, are you going to pout, quit, and not care about the rest of the game? If you miss your first extra point in the game, what do you do? You have to rebound!
Being a kicker is all about handling the adversity, riding your ‘hot streak’ as long as you can, and being able to shake off those disappointing misses immediately. Let bowling help challenge you to build a streak of no open frames just as you should challenge yourself to make every kick taken. Set a goal for yourself like ‘I want to be able to make 10/10 extra points or 5/5 40 yard field goals in today’s practice’ or if bowling ‘I want to finish out this game with 3 strikes and end my game on a positive note!’ I assure you that if you start bowling, even if it’s once every couple weeks, and setting goals for your kicking; your mental toughness will improve and you’ll handle that weird feeling (when your legs feel rubbery) with much more ease. Just do me a favor and get yourself some exercise and put down the Wii Bowling and go bowling with some friends at a real bowling alley!
Tags: Field Goal, Football, Kicker, Kicking, Kicking Training, Mental Game
31 Jan 10 How to Strengthen Your Kicking Muscles and Kick Farther
I highly recommend all of my kicking students to strengthen their hip flexor muscles and kicking muscles. It’s important to stay healthy and injury free and a great way to do this is to strengthen your hip flexors, quadriceps, and hamstrings muscles. Speaking from experience, I know how important it is to train your hip flexor muscles. At a kicking workout I tore my hip flexor and it is a hard injury to recover from! Please reference the following resources that will help you train for kicking, strengthen your muscles to prevent injury, and increase your kicking power.
Athletic Quickness: “Kick Farther and Run Faster Training Program”
Why Buy: To strengthen your hip flexor muscles and help increase the ‘fast-twitch’ muscle fiber speed of your legs. This can help contribute to a faster kicking leg and improved power as you kick field goals, kickoff, or punt. If you want to kick longer field goals, kickoffs, or punts; I recommend picking up this program!
Price: $27.95
Kicking World: “Complete Guide to Kicking & Punting”
Why Buy: This is a complete book to help teach you everything you need from kicking fundamentals, techniques, form, practice routines, training program, weightlifting program, strength & speed tips, kicking equipment suggestions, and mental game preparation. This book is loaded with everything you need to take your kicking and punting performance to a whole new level!
Price: $19.95
Tags: Football Kicking, Kicker, Kicking Book, Kicking Training, Punter
30 Jan 10 2010 Kicking Camp Schedule Announced!
I’m proud to release our 2010 Kicking Camp Schedule. This year we will be having kicking camps in California, Arizona, Texas, and New Jersey. I may be adding 2 or 3 more camp dates for late Spring and late Summer, so please continue to check on the website for new dates. I’m anticipating adding 1 date in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and 2 dates in Orange County, CA.
If you have any questions about our kicking camps or if you would like to schedule private kicking lessons in San Diego, CA or Orange County, CA, please contact me- Coach Brent at 619-564-1333. Best Wishes for a very successful 2010 Kicking Year!
TIME:
9am-1130am (9-12 year olds and beginners)
12pm-3pm (13-18 year olds- Middle School/High School/College)
COST:
$150
REGISTRATION:
Click Here to Register
CONTACT:
Brent Grablachoff
619-564-1333
www.kickingworld.com
2010 Kicking Camp Dates:
Sunday, March 28
La Jolla High School
San Diego, CA
Sunday, June 20
Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ
Sunday, June 27
Travis High School
Austin, TX
Sunday, July 11
Toms River North HS
Toms River, NJ
Sunday, July 25
La Jolla High School
San Diego, CA
KICKING CAMP DETAILS:
Camp Registration includes a great looking Kicking World camp t-shirt
Register 30 days+ early & get $25 off (coupon code: EARLYBIRD)
great prizes for competition winners from Athlete’s Performance, Wizard Kicking, Coreshorts, and Athletic Quickness!
Go To www.kickingworld.com for a ton of info about our camps, typical itinerary, Q+A, FAQs, and Testimonials from Students & Parents!
Tags: Football Kicking Camps, Kicking Combine, San Diego Kicking Camp
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