By MICHAEL HYTE
Most people think field goal kicking is restricted to the realm of football, but BYU Kicks is determined to extend those boundaries.
BYU Kicks, BYU’s newest official club, had its inaugural meeting on Saturday to discuss and practice kicking field goals.
“Football has nothing to do with kicking,” said Simon Hill, the club’s founder and president. “Field goals are completely dislocated from the game. It’s an art form in itself,”
Hill is a junior from San Diego majoring in mathematics. He said he hopes the club will help others refine their field goal kicking techniques.
“Our club only has one goal, and that is to teach the history and techniques of kicking field goals,” Hill said. “It’s the club at BYU with the most limited use and scope.”
Although Hill never played football in high school or college, he became intrigued with field goal kicking as a freshman at BYU.
“I like kicking field goals. I’ll never make the football team, but it’s a great stress reliever,” Hill said.
Hill started the club with his friend and roommate Adam Olsen, who serves as the club’s vice president and treasurer.
“Our inaugural meeting last Saturday was great. Everyone hit at least a 25 yarder,” said Olsen, 23, a senior from San Diego majoring in zoology.
“We were told we knew as much about the club as a babe on its mother’s lap, and that it would extend to fill North and South America,” Olsen said.
Olsen is also in charge of a Web site for the club that will include a schedule of events, facts and pictures related to the club.
In accordance with guidelines that allow clubs to become BYUSA approved, BYU Kicks has agreed to dedicate some of its time to community service.
“We plan on holding kicking clinics for the community once a month. We also hope to help battle world hunger and scurvy,” Olsen said.
Hill and Olsen also hope to lure BYU kicker Owen Pachman to speak to the club as a guest lecturer.
Lennerd Bakker, professor of mathematics, is the clubs academic advisor and will serve as the liaison between BYU Kicks and the university. He will also supervise to ensure that the Honor Code is upheld, Bakker said.
Although Bakker lacks any background in field goal kicking, he does enjoy soccer.
“I’m not too familiar with kicking a pig skin. I’m more familiar with kicking round things,” Bakker said.
Bakker said he thinks the club will help bring more awareness about field goal kicking so others will realize how difficult it is to kick a field goal without hooking or curving the ball.
Bakker also said he believes the club is an outlet for fun, recreation, camaraderie and physical maintenance.
BYU kicks will next meet on Tuesday. For more information call 374-7409.
