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.”
Landon Fetcho of Davis County (IA) High School and Andrew Tollefson of West Marshall (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, experience and skill level, and the instruction and drills are tailored accordingly.
Ticen Johnson of Hastings (NE) High school and Kase Coleman of Bedford (IA) High School with instructor Nate Murphy
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
Jack Lester, Cedar Rapids Prairie High School
Rico Alvarenga, West Des Moines Valley High School with Nate Kaeding
Longest Field Goal …… Rico Alvarenga, senior, Valley High School, West Des Moines, IA (52 yards)
Kickoff Distance …… Sam Satisky, senior, Galesburg High School, Galesburg, IL (65 yards)
Kickoff Hang Time …… Sam Satisky, senior, Galesburg High School, Galesburg, IL (3.57 seconds)
Punt Distance …… Sam Satisky, senior, Galesburg High School, Galesburg, IL (45 yards)
Punt Hang Time …… Jack Lester, freshman, Prairie High School, Cedar Rapids, IA (3.66 seconds)
Center/Long-Snapper Competition …… Logan Menken, junior, Carroll High School, Carroll, IA
Sam Satisky, Galesburg (IL) High School
Longest Field Goal …… Seppe Fratianni, junior, Valley High School, West Des Moines, IA (47 yards)
Kickoff Distance …… Rico Alvarenga, senior, Valley High School, West Des Moines, IA (62 yards)
Kickoff Hang Time …… Dominic Witt, sophomore, PCM High School, Monroe, IA (3.56 seconds)
Punt Distance …… Moses Bunn, junior, Valley High School, West Des Moines, IA (35 yards)
Punt Hang Time …… Noah Bellamy, junior, Maryville High School, Maryville, MO (3.36 seconds)
Center/Long-Snapper Competition …… Logan Menken, junior, Carroll High School, Carroll, IA
Seppe Fratianni, W.D.M. Valley High School
Logan Menken, Carroll High School
Noah Bellamy, Maryville (MO) High School
Christian Hesser, W.D.M. Valley (IA) High School
Dylan Kayhanfar of Conestoga (NE) High School with Alex Henery
Longest Field Goal …… Dave Fajardo, sophomore, Papillion-La Vista High School, Papillion, NE (55 yards)
Longest Field Goal (youth division) …… Patrick Connealy, freshman, Logan-Magnolia High School, Missouri Valley, IA (40 yards)
Best Kickoff….. Solomon Wiens, junior, Kearney Catholic High School, Kearney, NE (59 yards/3.36 hang time)
Kickoff Distance …… Greyson Belding, sophomore, Southwest High School, Lincoln, NE (60 yards)
Kickoff Hang Time …… Vaughn Anderson, freshman, Southwest Minnesota State University, Marshall, MN (3.58 seconds); runner-up…… Ticen Johnson, freshman, Hastings High School, Hastings, NE (3.45 seconds)
Punt Distance …… Kase Coleman, sophomore, Bedford High School, Bedford, IA (38 yards); runner-up Dave Fajardo, sophomore, Papillion-La Vista High School, Papillion, NE (35 yards)
Punt Hang Time …… Kase Coleman, sophomore, Bedford High School, Bedford, IA (3.61 seconds); runner-up….. Andrew Gotch, junior, Creighton Prep High School, Omaha, NE (3.44 seconds)
Center/Long-Snapper Competition …… Nicholas Buzzell, junior, Valley High School, West Des Moines, IA (28 points)
Solomon Wiens of Kearney Catholic High School (NE)
Dave Fajardo of Papillion-La Vista High School (NE)
Greyson Belding of Lincoln Southwest High School (NE)
Skills Challenge winner…..,Sam Satisky, senior, Galesburg High school, Galesburg, IL (43 points)
Runner-up…..Conley Harne, freshman, Valley High School, West Des Moines, IA (37 points)
Below, Nolan Schwery of Harlan (IA) High School and Patrick Connealy of Logan-Magnolia (IA) High School competing in the 2023 “Skills Challenge.”
Camp alumnus Brett Maher made 17 of 23 field goal attempts in eight games with the Los Angeles Rams in 2023.
Numerous Midwest Kicking Camp alumni had productive seasons at the collegiate level in 2023:
Logan Sunvold, senior kicker, Central College
Scoring – 8 for 13 on FGs and totaled 76 points
Kickoffs – 69 with 17 touchbacks
Logan Sunvold, Central College
Kelen Meyer, sophomore kicker/punter, Doane University
Punts – 72 for a 41.1-yard average
Field goals – 11 of 21, with long of 56 yards
Kelen Meyer, Doane University
Jaxson Hoppes, sophomore, kicker/punter, Wartburg College
Punts – 42 for 35.9-yard average
Field goals – 1 of 1
Kickoffs – 95 with 17 touchbacks
Jaxson Hoppes, Wartburg College
Boston Hensley, freshman kicker, Wayne State College
Scoring – 7 of 8 on field goals; 67 total points
Kickoffs – 68 with 29 touchbacks
Boston Hensley, Wayne State College
Mack Boekhout, sophomore kicker, Peru State College
Field goals – 11 of 15
PATs – 24 of 25
Scoring – 57 total points
Mack Boekhout, Peru State College
Ben Jaeger, sophomore kicker/punter, Clarke University
Punts – 57 for 33.8-yard average
Field goals – 2 of 3
PATs – 20 of 22
Ben Jaeger, Clarke University
Trevor Paulsen, freshman kicker/punter, Morningside University
Punts – 30 for 32.4-yard average
Trevor Paulsen, Morningside University
