On May 8-9 I gave kicking lessons with Jackson Redditt (Wilson Central High School). Jackson is entering his senior year of high school and is a very talented kicker and kickoff specialist.I try to stay aware of all the top kickers in the state of Tennessee, as most of you probably know already because I have contacted your high school coach or through Facebook, and Jackson was someone I had heard a great deal about from high school coaches and even other kickers.
So when Jackson's mother, Lisa , contacted me about doing lessons I told them we needed to work together right away and as we checked our schedules it took a three hour trip to Knoxville for us to finally meet.
Jackson is different from most high school kickers because he has always kicked off the ground for his high school team. He hit a 52 yard field goal last season so I knew he had some serious talent.
Jackson is different from most high school kickers because he has always kicked off the ground for his high school team. He hit a 52 yard field goal last season so I knew he had some serious talent.As I watched him kick during the first day of lessons I saw that he kicked a good ball, but like most people I have worked with, he still needed to refine his technique in regards to kicking off the ground.
At one point I looked at Jackson and smiled at him and said "I can only imagine what you can do when you hit the ball correctly."
At one point I looked at Jackson and smiled at him and said "I can only imagine what you can do when you hit the ball correctly."
I showed him some of the smaller details to kicking off the ground and his eyes got big as saucer's and he told me "this just feels really different". I told him "that's good because you have been kicking wrong for so long it should feel weird."
We worked on a few drills to master the correct foot position and I even got out there in my New Balance tennis shoes and showed him the correct way to do it.
We worked on a few drills to master the correct foot position and I even got out there in my New Balance tennis shoes and showed him the correct way to do it. By the end of the second day he was finally starting to get it. I understand what it is like to go through some small changes in your technique as I was a student just a few year's ago when I worked with Coach Zauner, so I did what Coach Zauner told me to do during my kicking lessons and just told him to "clear your mind and just kick it".
He started to make the kicks with ease so I backed him up to 52, 55 and ended with 57 yard field goals off the ground. I was seriously impressed with his ability by the end of the workout. College coaches need to seriously start looking at Jackson because he has the ability to be a Division 1 starting kicker next year.
By the end of the second day we were running low on time so I ask him to just show me a few kickoffs. He then proceeds to kick his kickoffs, with a one inch tee, 68 to 70 yards in the air.
By the end of the second day we were running low on time so I ask him to just show me a few kickoffs. He then proceeds to kick his kickoffs, with a one inch tee, 68 to 70 yards in the air. He is one of the most college ready kickers I have seen in this year or last year's class of kickers in the State of Tennessee. I will be working with Jackson one more time at the end of May before he starts competing at all the kicking camps this summer.
I wish him the best of luck this Summer and during the season and for all the fans and coaches of colleges across the country I think you should be aware of a sleeper in the class of 2011.
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