Emphasizing ‘A Natural Style of Kicking and Punting’®, Coach Zauner’s teaching philosophy facilitates an environment where kicking specialists develop the skills, technique, and confidence to achieve their maximum physical and mental potential. At an amateur and professional level, Coach Zauner, LLC programs and events provide a kicker, punter or snapper ‘A Specialist’s Path to PRO Football'®...Coach Zauner, LLC Mission Statement

Friday, May 28, 2010

Stephen Gates' Punting Lessons

On Wednesday and Thursday Stephen Gates and his parents were in Scottsdale, Arizona for a One on One Punting and Kicking Lesson. Stephen is a combination kicker and punter at Millsaps College. He was in Arizona to work on refining both his kicking and punting technique. Stephen broke his leg last year and had to red shirt.

Stephen Gates and His Father, John

During his kicking lesson Stephen worked hard on his foot position on the ball and refining his technique.

Later in the first lesson Stephen worked on punting technique and a nose down Drop. After the video review session I came up with a game plan for the second day.

The second day I introduced Stephen to my Power Zone Punting Technique. He worked hard on my Drop Progression and One Step Drills.

It was a pleasure meeting and working with Stephen and I wish him the best of luck next season.

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Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Photo Gallery - AZ PRO Development Camp

The Philosophy behind Coach Zauner's PRO Development Camps is Quality Not Quantity.The Pro Development Camps were designed to develop or refine Specialist that have aspiration of being NFL Specialists. Coach Zauner's Combines and PRO Development Camps are designed to give College and Free Agent Players 'A Path to the NFL' Most of my PRO Development Camps will have 15 to 30 Specialist. I don't want 50 to 100 Campers. I want to have the ability to work with each specialists and help them to refine their technique. I would like each specialist that has an aspiration to be a professional kicker, punter or snapper to develop and refine their technique so they have a better chance to make it to the NFL, CFL or UFL and attain his dream.


Philosophy of Coach Zauner LLC - Quality Not Quantity Photos from PRO Development Camp in Casa Grande, AZ


2010 Arizona PRO Development Campers Nick Schirtzinger - Robert Morris -Videograher for the Camp. Coach Talks to the Punters Tom Malone USC and Free Agent wins Punters Competition Justin Brantley Works Aussie Drop Punt Technique Alonso Rojas (Left) Justin Brantley (Center) Tom Malone (Right) Justin Brantley former (Texas A & M & Houston Texas) Works Drill TJ Grzesikowski Ferrum College All-American Works One Step Drill Coach Zauner Instructs Derek Epperson (Baylor University) Alonso Rojas (U. of Kansas Punter) Works One Step Drill Coach Zauner - Drop Progression Drill to Punters Punters Working One Step Drill Coach Works Drops with Free Agent Punters:


Justin Brantley (Texas A&M / Houston Texans)


Tom Malone (USC / N.E. Patriots & Seahawks)




Coach Instructing Snappers & Holders on 'Perfect Laces'



Matt Rios (Cal. Berkeley) Snaps to Derek Epperson (Baylor U)



Alonso Rojas / Derke Epperson / Shane Perterlin / Kelly Nelson



Nick Freeland (U. of Indiana) Wins Competition with 60 Yd FG



Fabrizio Scaccia Works Field Goal Technique



Randy Bulluck (Texas A & M) Kicks with Justin Brantley Holding



Jacob Branstetter (U. of Kansas) Kicks with Alonso Rojas Holding



Giannis Kourlesis (U. of Greece) Kicks During Camp



Kicker, James Aho (U. of New Mexico) Kicks During Competition



Kickers Watch and Wait During Sunday Competition


G. Kourlesis / F. Scaccia / N. Pertuit / R. Bulluck & N. Freeland


Coach Works with Randy Bulluck (Texas A & M)


Fabrizio Scaccia Works Onside Kickoff



Specialist Saying 'Good Bye' and Good Luck



Casa Grande Sports Complex Beautiful Fields


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Arizona (May) PRO Development Camp


2010 Arizona PRO Development Camp

On Friday May 21, 2010 I hosted my First PRO Development Camp in Casa Grande, Arizona. In 2009 I started the concept of PRO Development Camps and had two Camps at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota.

As I look around the country at kicking camps I see camps everywhere with 50, 75, 100, and 200 campers. I wonder how anyone can get quality instruction with that many campers and linited quality instructors.

My idea was to design a PRO Development Camp for College Specialists that felt they had potential to be NFL specialists when they graduated. I felt if I hosted a camp which only had between 20 and 35 campers I could evaluate and coach a smaller group of specialists with quality instruction.

Last year the two PRO Development Camps held Minnesota had those types of numbers and the specialists received that type of instruction. Click for testimonials from my 2009 PRO Development Camps.


The Casa Grande Sports Complex has excellent facilities. The fields are first class with high bread bermuda grass. The NFL goal posts have the extended uprights.

The first day at the PRO Development Camp I evaluate each specialists and their form and technique. I use five video kicks and punts from three different angles to evaluate each specialist. We also take a sequential camera photo (40 frames a second) to help evaluate campers.


Nich Pertuit Free Agent Kicker


Punters Working One Step Drill


Coach Zauner works with Justin Brantly and Tom Malone

At the PRO Development Camp their is also a lot of class room instruction and video review. I show the campers a lot of video from NFL kickers and punters I have given One on One Lessons. The lickers see video of Sebastian Janikowski, Garrett Hartley, Gary Anderson, Matt Stover, Billy Cundiff and Josh Scobee. The punters see video of Ray Guy, Rick Tuten, Brett Kern, Dave Zastudil and Mitch Berger.



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Kicking Lessons

Punting Lessons

Long Snapping Lessons

Football Kicking Coach

Nick Novak Kicks With Chargers


Chargers investing in kicking insurance
By Tim Sullivan, UNION-TRIBUNE COLUMNIST

Nick Novak is auditioning for a job, but probably not Nate Kaeding’s.

The Chargers’ new kicker is a precaution, a contingency, a fallback. More of a “What-if?” than a “What’s-up-with-that?” For as much blame as has been attached to Kaeding for his three missed field goals in the Bolts’ first-round playoff exit, he remains the most accurate regular-season kicker in NFL history. Read more...


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Thursday, May 13, 2010

Dan Power Rugby Aussie Punter


On Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, Dan Power a Free Agent Punter from Australia was in Scottsdale, Arizona for a One on One Punting Lesson.

Dan was born and raised in Brisbane, Australia and grew up playing Rugby. He has played professional rugby in Australia, France and the United States. Dan has recently retired from rugby and would love to be a punter in the NFL just like fellow country men, Darrin Bennett, Mat McBriar, Sav Rocca and Ben Graham.

Dan is about 6'3 and 225 pounds and a good looking athlete. Dan mentioned he has had a couple of informal workouts with the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins. He would like to get more workouts but now understands after attending my March 27, 2010 Free Agent Specialists Combine he needs to get fundamentally sound and more consistent. He came to learn my Power Zone Punting Technique and take his game to the next level.


During the first One on One Punting Lesson I quickly noticed (above photo) that Dan was pushing the ball outside his hip when he was trying to drop the ball to his foot. Several of his punts either went spiral nose over and carried to an extended power zone or he made poor foot to ball contact and sprayed the ball to various part of the field.

I also noticed that when the big guy made the correct contact of the foot to the ball he hit some pretty big punts. Like most punters Dan needs to learn how to be more consistent. My job in two lessons was to make him more consistent. Good fundamentals and the proper drills will be the key to Dan's success.


Dan a good looking athlete and like many Australians is a self taught punter. He has never had any formal instruction or training. Matter of fact he said he has never really seen himself on video tape.

My thought was how can anyone get better unless you see yourself on tape and make the proper adjustments to correct your mistakes. Of course you first have to be educated on what is the proper form and technique.

Dan being a former professional rugby player knows how to be a professional. For two days Dan was like a sponge absorbing as much information as possible. Actually he came to the first lesson with a notebook and pen. I asked him what is that notebook for? He replied, "To take notes". I told him that he would get a copy of the DVD and all the teaching points and he thought that was pretty neat.

After the first lesson we had an excellent video review and I pointed out Dan's flaws. On the video in slow motion and stop action the mistakes became crystal clear. I showed him video's of several NFL punters I have trained. I showed him the Drop Progression, One Step and Catch and One Step Drills.

The second day Dan was a quick study. He had practice all the drills I showed him Wednesday night back at the hotel and came prepared for the second lesson.

He was now placing the ball directly in front of his leg and punting up and through the ball. He was turning over punt after punt to the Power Zone. He was actually making it look pretty easy.

At the end of his One on One Lessons, Dan was very happy and excited that he had traveled to Arizona to learn and improve. He felt he was now punting more consistently and with less effort. I think we both felt the same, 'Mission Accomplished'!

Click below to listen to Dan Power's testimonial after working a One on One Punting Lesson with Coach Zauner.


It was a pleasure working with Dan. He is a true professional. I wish him the best of luck in his pursuit of being an NFL Punter. I told him that making it to the NFL is no easy task but he now is on a better path.

Coach Zauner's One on One Lessons and PRO Development Camps:

'A Path to the NFL'


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Sergio Castillo West Texas A & M

On Sunday and Monday West Texas A & M Combination Kicker / Punter, Sergio Castillo was in Scottsdale, Arizona for some One on One Kicking and Punting Lessons.

Sergio called a couple of months ago trying to come to Scottsdale, Arizona earlier in the year but needed to save up some money to make the journey. The One on One Lessons cost more and are more expensive than my PRO Development Camps and Combines.

However, the true value to the specialists in a One on One Lesson is the amount of One on One time and the individual improvement each player makes during their two or three kicking lessons. Also the video review and the DVD each specialists gets of all the teaching points and drills at the end of the lessons is invaluable.

Sergio was very happy with his improvement in the two lessons and he felt the One on One Lessons were an excellent investment of his money and time.

Sergio had attended a couple of kicking camps during his high school years and was taught some suspect fundamentals. In the above photo you will see him kicking and crunching. He was unable to kick and skip through the ball because of the crunching motion.

After two days of video review, technique work and mirror drills, Sergio ended the second day of lessons kicking up and through the ball. He was making better foot to ball contact and was kicking and skipping through the ball. His kicks were going further and straighter with less effort.

Sergio's goal before he started the lessons was to become a more consistent kicker. He was very happy at the end of the One on One Lessons because he had accomplished his goal. He was not only more consistent but had better form.

Sergio has natural kicking and punting skills. It is my opinion that sometimes kicking coaches can make a kicking specialists too mechanical or robotic and take away a natural kicking motion. Sergio was much more relaxed punting the ball and looked more natural.

During the end of the second lesson I stressed some basic punting fundamentals and introduced Sergio to my Drop Progression and One Step Drills.

Sergio was a quick study during the punting section because he punted and flowed up and through the ball much better than he kicked field goals. We eventually put everything together with his punting and kicking and he was doing both more naturally.

At the end of the punting session Sergio hit several excellent (SNO's) Spiral Nose Over Punts to the Power Zone. He had a big smile on his face when he finished the lesson. He was now punting and kicking with better technique and more consistency.

Click for The Value of Good Technique Blog

It was a pleasure meeting and working with Sergio and I wish him the best of luck next season at West Texas A & M... 'Go Buffaloes'!



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