NFL Hall of Famer Jan Stenerud
Founded in 1971 by NFL Hall of Famer Benny Friedman, Midwest Kicking is the longest-running instructional program for special teams players in the country. Midwest Kicking has been recognized for its innovative approach during more than five decades. It was the first camp to create a program for long snappers, the first to utilize videotaping and the first to combine both the physical and mental elements in the teaching of special teams skills. Over the years techniques and strategies in the kicking game have evolved and Midwest Kicking has stayed at the forefront through its quality staff. From Jan Stenerud, the most decorated kicker in NFL history, to Nate Kaeding and Alex Henery, the staff is unmatched in its experience and expertise.
Former NFL standouts Nate Kaeding and Alex Henery
The goal of Midwest Kicking is to help you reach your fullest potential. There is no rigid, single-minded way to approach these skills. Every athlete is different, and we want to cultivate and refine your style, so you can get the maximum from it. We want to help you eliminate bad habits that hamper your proficiency. Anybody can see whether a kick, punt or snap was good or not. The key is to know why and how you produced the result you did. If an athlete understands the fundamentals and biomechanics of a physical action, it is then possible to analyze what went wrong. Armed with this knowledge, you can correct the problem.
Achieving success depends upon natural ability to a degree, but ability can be greatly augmented by hard work. Mastering special teams skills requires dedicated practice to develop “muscle memory” that will result in your performance becoming automatic in a game.
“Practice with a purpose.”
Logan Rethwisch, Williamsburg (IA) High School
Athletes of all skill levels and ability may participate in the camps. The camps are open to college, high school and middle school kickers, punters and centers. The range is typically from 12 to 19 years of age.
At each camp, participants are placed in instructional groups by grade and experience, and the instruction and drills are tailored accordingly.
Coach Ryan Dixon with centers Ryan Kuennen of Valley High School, West Des Moines, IA and Max Green of Indianola (IA) High School
The camps provide a productive learning environment with a 6:1 coach-to-athlete ratio. A key portion of the practice time is devoted to overall execution with kickers teaming up with centers and holders to develop timing and consistency. Punters work with long snappers to get accustomed to fielding the deep snap, handling the ball and getting the punt off quickly and in rhythm.
We provide you with drills to utilize when practicing on your own in the off-season and with your team during the season. Also, we want to assist you in setting reasonable and clearly defined goals that you can measure. Setting goals can inspire, motivate and improve performance.
“Excellence is never an accident.”
Luke Linde, Winterset (IA) High School
Longest Field Goal–60 yards….Caleb Shudak, junior, Lewis Central High School, Council Bluffs, IA, 2014; and Caleb Nielsen, senior, Waverly High School, Waverly, NE, 2016
Longest Field Goal (youth division)–45 yards…Sam Smith, freshman, McCook High School, McCook, NE, 2013
Kickoff Distance (college division)–82 yards…Alden Haffar, sophomore, Iowa Central Community College, 2012
Kickoff Distance (high school division)–79 yards…Kelen Meyer, senior, Ord High School, Ord, NE, 2020
Kickoff Distance (youth division)–61 yards…Zach Shudak, freshman, Lewis Central High School, Council Bluffs, IA, 2016
Kickoff Hang Time (college division)–4.26 seconds…Alden Haffar, Iowa Central Community College, 2012
Kickoff Hang Time (high school division)–4.10 seconds…Cruiser Nichols, senior, Smithville High School, Smithville, MO, 2007
Kickoff Hang Time (youth division)–3.71 seconds…Wyatt Ford, freshman, Montague High School, Montague, MI, 2010
Punt Distance–65 yards…Ethan Renner, senior, Crete High School, Crete, NE, 2011
Punt Distance (youth division)–49 yards…Bryan McLaughlin, freshman, Elkhorn High School, Elkhorn, NE, 2010
Punt Hang Time–4.73 seconds…Kirby Van Der Kamp, senior, Valley High School, West Des Moines, IA, 2009
Punt Hang Time (youth division)–3.96 seconds…Spencer Gaddis, freshman, Prairie High School, Cedar Rapids, IA, 2010
Long-Snapping Competition–31 points (maximum of 35)…Koen Thomsen, junior, Elkhorn South High School, Elkhorn, NE, 2021
Hayden Thoms, Linn-Mar (IA) High School
Drew Twohill, Fairfield (IA) High School
Kickoff Distance …… Mitchell Frahm, senior, Linn-Mar High School, Marion, IA (58 yards)
Kickoff Hang Time …… Michell Frahm, senior, Linn-Mar High School, Marion IA (3.64 seconds)
Kickoff Accuracy/Location …… Jacob Collett, senior, Prairie High School, Cedar Rapids, IA
Longest Field Goal …… Sam Satisky, junior, Galesburg High School, Galesburg, IL (43 yards)
Punt Distance …… Josef Lemker, senior, Xavier High School, Cedar Rapids, IA (39 yards)
Punt Hang Time …… Evan Anderson, sophomore, West High School, Iowa City, IA (4.00 seconds)
Punt Accuracy/Location …… Evan Anderson, sophomore, West High School, Iowa City, IA
Center/Long-Snapper Competition …… Hayden Thoms, senior, Linn-Mar High School, Marion, IA (27 points)
Sam Satisky, Galesburg (IL) High School
Kickoff Distance …… Preston Kipnusu, junior, Valley High School, West Des Moines, IA (70 yards)
Kickoff Hang Time …… Preston Kipnusu, junior, Valley High School, West Des Moines, IA (3.81 seconds)
Longest Field Goal …… Preston Kipnusu, junior, Valley High School, West Des Moines, IA (45 yards)
Center/ Long Snapper Competition …… Max Green, junior, Indianola High School, Indianola, IA (24 points)
Preston Kipnusu, Valley High School, West Des Moines, IA
Katie Lindsay, Van Meter (IA) High School
Connor Fisher, Albia (IA) High School with center Max Green, Indianola (IA) High School and holder
Kickoff Distance …… Patrick Gross, junior, McCook High School, McCook, NE (66 yards) and runner-up Parker Aughenbaugh, junior, Plattsmouth High School, Plattsmouth, NE (65 yards)
Kickoff Hang Time …… Patrick Gross, junior, McCook High School, McCook, NE (3.72 seconds) and runner-up Alex Kosse, senior, Gross Catholic High School, Omaha, NE (3.68 seconds)
Kickoff Distance (youth division) …… Mark Noameshie, 8th grade, Elkhorn Valley View Middle School, Elkhorn, NE (49 yards) and runner-up Ticen Johnson, 8th grade, Hastings Middle School, Hastings, NE (43 yards)
Kickoff Hang Time (youth division) …… Mark Noameshie, 8th grade, Elkhorn Valley View Middle School, Elkhorn, NE (3.12 seconds) and runner-up Ticen Johnson, 8th grade, Hastings Middle School, Hastings, NE (2.70 seconds)
Longest Field Goal …… Alex Kosse, senior, Gross Catholic High School, Omaha, NE (51 yards) and runner-up Trever Paulsen, senior, Yankton High School, Yankton, SD (48 yards)
Longest Field Goal (youth division) …… Mark Noameshie, 8th grade, Elkhorn Valley View Middle School, Elkhorn, NE (37 yards) and runner-up Braiden McClanathan, 8th grade, Anderson Middle School, Omaha, NE (35 yards)
Punt Distance …… Bryson Ebeler, junior, Southeast High School, Lincoln, NE (49 yards) and runner-up Kase Coleman, freshman, Bedford High School, Bedford, IA (35 yards)
Punt Hang Time …… Bryson Ebeler, junior, Southeast High School, Lincoln, NE (4.74 seconds) and runner-up Ben Rorabaugh, junior, North Star High School, Lincoln, NE (4.09 seconds)
Most Improved …… Christian Ferron, junior, Central High School, Omaha, NE
Scout Sneller of Sergeant Bluff-Luton (IA) High School with Alex Henery observing
Skills Challenge winner….. Carson Hanson, senior, Johnston High School, Johnson, IA. (53 points)
Alex Henery (left) with Skills Challenge winner Carson Hanson
Runner-up….. Nathan Behne, junior, Greene County High School, Jefferson, IA. (47 points)
Alex Henery (left) with Skills Challenge runner-up Nathan Behne
Sean Murphy of Millard West (NE) High School competing in the skills challenge at the 2022 Pre-season Primer.
Camp alumnus Brett Maher was 29 of 32 on field goal attempts for the Dallas Cowboys in 2022.
Numerous Midwest Kicking Camp alumni had productive seasons at the collegiate level in 2022:
Logan Sunvold, junior kicker, Central College
Scoring – 9 for 13 on FGs and totaled 81 points
Kickoffs – 72 with 28 touchbacks
Logan Sunvold, Central College
Kelen Meyer, freshman kicker/punter, Doane University
Punts – 64 for a 42.3-yard average
Field goals – 16 of 31
Total points scored – 58
Kelen Meyer, Doane University
Luke Williams, senior kicker/punter, Drake University
Punts – 13 for 39.6-yard average
Field goals – 9 of 16
PATs – 21 of 21
Luke Williams, Drake University
Sam Wilber, sophomore kicker, Iowa Western Community College
Field goals – 12 of 20
PATs – 36 of 38
Sam Wilber, Iowa Western Community College
Mack Boekhout, freshman kicker, Peru State College
Field goals – 10 of 12
PATs – 15 of 16
Mack Boekhout, Peru State College
Ben Jaeger, sophomore kicker/punter, Clarke University
Punts – 37 for 35.0-yard average
Ben Jaeger, Clarke University
Liam Wahe, sophomore kicker, Iowa Central Community College
Field goals – 4 of 4
PATs – 17 of 20
Liam Wahe, Iowa Central Community College
