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Date: 12/9/2020
EAST LONGMEADOW – All high school athletes dream of being the best in their sport. East Longmeadow High School senior CJ Kolodziey is working on making that happen. Over the weekend of Dec. 5 and Dec. 6, Kolodziey competed against 90 other high school students in the 2020 Kicking World National Showcase in Austin, TX. He placed in the top 10 for field goals and the top five for kickoffs. His best kickoff left the ball with 4.03 seconds of hangtime.
The National Showcase was the biggest competition in which Kolodziey had participated in his athletic career, and one that is specifically geared towards his position. “I feel that the kicker is one of the most important people on the field,” Kolodziey said. “They can win you the game or lose you the game.”
This year was the 7th Kicking World National Showcase. Kicking World has been hosting football camps around the country for 13 years. This year, there were over 40 events in 20 states. Athletes are judged on their form, fundamentals, consistency, poise under pressure, attitude, distance, and hang time, among other metrics.
“Because of this year’s coronavirus setbacks and many states canceling fall sports, parents have been extra eager to get their children to this event, especially high school seniors [for whom] this may be their last chance to garner the attention of a college football team, considering they had limited or no in-game film this high school football season,” said coach Brent Grablachoff, owner of Kicking World.
Kolodziey had planned to attend the camp in Boston this past summer, but due to COVID-19, the camp was canceled. Instead, he went to the camp conducted in northern Virginia in June. While at the camp, Kolodziey made all but one of his field goal attempts, despite unfavorable weather and field conditions. He earned the “Golden Boot,” an award given to the best field goal kicker at camp.
Of the 1,200 campers from nearly 40 states that participated, the top 5 to 10 percent of kickers and punters were invited to the National Showcase, including Kolodziey.
Grablachoff said student-athletes spend the weekend kicking and punting in front of the coaching staff and running through skill competitions “to see where they stack up based on their class year,” and on what is expected of a prospective college football kicking/punting recruit. They’re then assigned to a division level.
“The very best from the event can also earn a spot on our Hot Prospect List, which is a watch list if you will, of our top less than 5 percent of kicker and recruits,” Grablachoff explained.
The elimination rounds were streamed live on YouTube.com, exposing the college team-hopefuls to every college football coach in the country. Grablachoff said he also creates a recap of the event for coaches, recommending the top players by class year.
Kolodziey, who also plays hockey and lacrosse, has verbally committed to attend the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the fall, although he admitted that he was open to being recruited if the right chance arose. For the high school senior, who has been playing football since he was in third grade, playing for a Division I school will be a “dream come true,” he said.
Kolodziey had a message for younger kids who are playing the game, especially as kickers. “Don’t give up,” he said. “There are going to be times when you get frustrated. I’ve had those times. But now that I’m going to college, I know the work has just begun.”