A recent article in the Milwaukee Journal re-enforced a point I have tried to convey throughout my years as a Kicking Coach. And that is, sometimes it is necessary for an NFL special teams coach to 'go outside the box' and bring in a consultant to help with their kicking specialist.
The Journal article focused on the kicking performances of Green Bay punter Derrick Frost, who is having a troubled season, and the recently released (from Green Bay) Jon Ryan, who has signed with the Seattle Seahawks, and who is having a VERY good season.
In the article the writer, Bob McGinn, focuses on the fact that the special teams coach at Green Bay is adamantly against having any of his kickers seek outside coaching, even when they are having trouble season due to problems with their technique.
The article quotes Mike Stock, the Packers Special Teams Coach as saying, “I don’t believe in those things, and I’ll tell you why. One voice is the most important thing when you’re coaching a team or a player. You can’t have two different voices, especially long distance.”
However, the article points to the fact that after Ryan left Green Bay, and came to me for kicking consulting, both his punting and confidence improved dramatically.
Here is a link to the article.
In fact, in a video testimonial Ryan gave after his sessions, he said "Coach (Zauner) has probably taught me more in the last two days than any other coach in two or three years.”
Here is Jon Ryan's Testimonial.
My point is not to 'blow my own horn' (as the writer was quite generous to me), but rather to point to a real world example of why it is important for Special Team Coaches to be open to the idea of getting 'outside help' for a kicking specialist when it is needed.
Would Ryan have done better at Green Bay if they had flown me in to work with him, or had him come out to Scottsdale, AZ. for a few days of coaching? We'll never know.
What we do know is that the additional coaching Ryan received did help his kicking game and confidence. It's just unfortunate he had to leave the Packers to find that out.
The good news is not all Special Teams Coaches are resistant to working with outside help to improve the performance of their kicking specialist.
To that end, I have put together a consulting program which focuses on 'Coaching the Coaches'.
I’ve been coaching, coaches to coach kickers for many years with excellent results. In 2008 Head Coaches Jim Tressel of Ohio State and Kyle Whittingham of the University of Utah took advantage of my coaching services.
They sent their coaches who are in charge of their kicking specialist to my One on One clinic here in Fountain Hills, Arizona. This season I have followed the progress of their kicking specialists and their success with great satisfaction.
These clinics were developed specifically to teach coaches, how to coach and train their kicking specialist, and, if needed, expand their concepts for organizing, coaching and taking their kicking game to the next level.
Over the next five days I will be posting videos that highlight and explains what the program offers. These clinics can be held here in beautiful Fountain Hills, Arizona or at a location which works for you.
Here is the first video: Part I
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