Specialists Path- Coach Zauner

It is always great when you see people you have worked with recognized for the excellent work they are doing. This recently happened with my previous mentor Coach Zauner.

Over the weekend, the Washington Post published a great article on Kicking by Michael Leahy.

The article is entitled “Kicked around: Inside football’s loneliest position.” And in this article my former mentor -Coach Gary Zauner- was prominently mentioned.

Washington Post Article featuring Coach Zauner

I spent two years in Arizona working as Coach Zauner's assistant. I was very fortunate to start working with him just as he was starting his consulting business. For my first six months in Arizona, I was completely focused on assisting Coach Zauner and watching punters and kickers improve.

And I didn’t only watch. I also assisted him with all aspect of his video production and I worked the video camera while Coach Zauner coached future NFL and UFL players like current Green Bay Packers punter Tim Masthay (pictured above).

I’ve always had a natural ability to kick a football, but I have also always wanted to be a coach. And one of the things I have learned by working with Coach Zauner is there is a real difference between being a great kicker and being a great coach.

And even the great kickers seem to know that.

I found it fascinating to see NFL kicking greats Gary Anderson (pictured with Coach Zauner below) and Kevin Butler bring their sons to Coach Zauner for instructions. These were some of the biggest names in kicking history, and yet they were bringing their sons to him for lessons.

I was fortunate enough to be there to watch Coach Zauner teach, but I was also learning from him directly as well. And one of the many things Coach Zauner taught me was how to express my ideas in a systematic way through video and drills.

These video skills have really helped me in my own coaching.

It was also pretty cool to be in the same room with a coach who was constantly speaking with NFL Special Teams coaches and NFL personnel people. It helped me see what kind of talent is in the NFL, and what it takes to make it in the NFL.

I now have no illusions to what it takes to be an NFL kicking specialist. I now know what the standards are. And I have working with Coach Zauner to thank for that.

The Washington Post article (above) makes some great points about kickers. Especially about how difficult it is to get ‘in’ to the NFL, and how easy it is to get ‘out’.

As far as a specialist getting ‘in’ to the NFL, I was fortunate enough to be on the ground floor for Coach Zauner’s first Free Agent Combine where 17 of the 42 guys that participated were signed to professional teams. That’s pretty impressive.

This past January I was on the ‘ground floor’ again when I came out assisted Coach Zauner in his first annual College Senior Combine. Over 60 college senior kicking specialists attended the event and many went on to sign with NFL teams.

The Washington Post article also caused me to reminisce about my earlier efforts to be an NFL kicker. I recall when I was with the Baltimore Ravens and their long snapper, Matt Katula, told me every week he feared getting cut.

I knew that Matt had been in the league for around 5 years at that time and I thought his fears were unfounded but his thoughts were confirmed this year.

Earlier this season Matt Katula was cut by the Ravens and replaced by one of my former teammates at Tennessee, Morgan Cox. Ironically it was Coach Zauner who helped Morgan get into the league and he just recently helped Matt get back in the NFL!

Matt just signed with the Patriots a few weeks ago.

Like the Washington Post article says: Coach Zauner is truly in the game when it comes to getting players to a professional team. Or as he says on his website "A specialists path to PRO football".

Coach Zauner has lived up to that line, and I am glad to have been part of his organization. Few people get the opportunity to work with one of the best in their profession and fortunately I was able to be mentored by Coach Zauner.

He deserves all the credit the article gives him, and I wish him continued success.
However, now that I have moved on from Coach Zauner’s world, I will –over the next few weeks- be introducing you to another great kicking coach who I will have the fortunate opportunity to be working with; Bill Renner.

Bill has coached Shayne Graham, Josh Brown, Neil Rackers, Kyle Larsen, and numerous other great NFL punters and kickers.

Soon, it will be my turn to work with, and benefit from him.

Visit: www.jameswilhoitkickingcoach.com

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