How Kicking World Camps Accurately Assess Talent
Kicking camps have sprung up all over the country in the last decade. Unfortunately, most don’t last long. They simply do not invest the rigorous amount of time needed as we do at Kicking World. Expertise and Passion are critical for success in any line of work, especially when coaching kids.
In this article, we explore some of the unique differentiators of Kicking World camps and how our format enables us to obtain the most accurate assessments of each student.
Equitable Conditions for each Camper
All competition footballs are pumped up to the exact same specs and are in the same condition (we don’t allow students to sub in their own ‘bomber ball’). This ensures no camper is provided an unfair distance and hang-time advantage.
Each student has the same sequence of kicks (i.e. everyone cycles through their field goals from 30L, 30R, 35L, 35R, 40M, etc., in the same order).
If one student starts their first kick from 50+ yards and another’s first kick is from only 20 yards it creates a major unfair disadvantage to the camper kicking from further away.
Camp Attendance Cap
Most Kicking World training camps are limited to 20-25 students which allow our coaches to build camaraderie with the students, and more importantly – enables the coaches to get an accurate assessment of each students’ ability. Because of the high coach to student ratio we’re better able to help each individual improve in their technique & fundamentals which are critical to master in order to take it to the next level.
Simulating an In-Game Environment
During a football game, you won’t be able to get in a rhythm as there are breaks between kicks and sometimes you wait a quarter or two before your next attempt. So, at Kicking World camps (view competition results) we cycle through all of the campers from the same kick location which creates a time break that more closely mimics a game environment. Students are not able to hoard their favorite ball nor continue on in their sequence of kicks one after another, which inevitably would provide a great advantage by establishing a rhythm. This, however, does not simulate an in-game pressure environment which in turn many times inflates the students’ stats and creates ‘camp all-stars’. Meaning, the student shows impressive statistics between their ‘bomber balls’ and numbers partly because they were able to get into a rhythm and enhance their conditions. We feel this does not properly prepare campers for an in-game situation and in turn, many of the supposed top kickers in the nation don’t deliver when it counts most.
Accurate Assessments
Ranking campers’ ability based solely on how many makes and misses they have at camp is not a ‘complete’ picture of the student. At Kicking World we not only take into account camp results, but also the intangibles that most coaches in a large environment couldn’t possibly decipher – attitude, hustle, fundamentals, foot to ball contact, leg swing, ball flight, trajectory, consistent spirals on punts, consistent ball placement on punts and kickoffs, poise under pressure, ability to duplicate the process, paying attention to the details, being methodical on their setup, coachability, attentiveness, and more. These are the X factors that college and professional football coaches evaluate in order to decide on who they’ll scholarship or sign to their team. Thankfully, due to how our camps are structured we’re able to get a good read on each student and we take into account these elements when sharing our evaluations and Hot Prospect List with college teams and pro clubs.
Structured Experience for each Camper
We give each student the same opportunity to prove themselves and show what they’ve got. Of course, the campers who slack and look away when we’re coaching them won’t get as much of our time. The ones who are attentive, eager to learn, hustle from drill to drill, and show a want to be there and get better are the ones we spend more time with. There’s no place at our camp for laziness, inattentiveness, or cocky attitudes. Just as a high school or college coach wouldn’t tolerate it, so too won’t we. Because we look at more than just makes, misses, distances, and hang times; we’re able to help teams find the student-athletes who will be most in sync with the team’s vision and culture, which is a large part of a team’s success.
Experience the Difference
Kicking World camps provide the best and most accurate assessment to help college and professional coaches properly evaluate and select their next kicker and punter. We invite you to join a Kicking World camp and experience the difference for yourself. Signup today at kickingworld.com.
