By Kim J. Harmon

 

When kicker John Nelson lined up for his first field goal attempt in his first varsity game in 2005, could it be possible he was a little nervous?

“To be honest,” he admitted, “I was scared out of my mind.”

Maybe that was because the Nighthawks were facing the defending CIAC Class S state champions. Or maybe it was because Nelson was in only his third year on the football field after a first year which was, by his own admission, pretty awful.

But Nelson lined up for that 28-yard field goal with just five seconds gone in the second quarter of the 2005 season opener against rival Pomperaug and delivered what turned out to be a deciding kick in a 10-7 win over the Panthers.

From that moment on, uncertainties in the kicking game – the essential reason the ‘Hawks missed out on the CIAC Class LL state playoffs in 2004 – became a thing of the past.

“He has definitely been a weapon for us,” said head coach Ken Roberts.

Nelson can lay the credit (or the blame, take your pick) for his current situation on his friend, running back Chris Potter, who not only urged him to come out for football three years ago but also “volunteered” him to kick when the coaching staff was looking for someone to take over those duties.

“I remember the freshman coach asking if anyone could kick,” said Nelson, “and Chris recommended me. He suckered me into it.”

Nelson won’t deny that his freshman kicking efforts were “pretty awful … a disaster.” But he practiced a lot during the summer and practiced more as a sophomore as he rested behind Steve Kean on the depth chart. And after another summer working out on his own, he was ready.

Well, almost.

“You can never get completely comfortable,” said Nelson, “because a lot of things can still go wrong (on a kick). But by the third or fourth game last year I started feeling better about it.”

The ‘Hawks had a moderately successful year, finishing 6-3-1 after a thrilling 15-15 tie with arch-rival Masuk in the traditional Thanksgiving battle. Nelson kicked well and while he had a three-game stretch where he missed four kicks, he finished the year 20-of-24 on extra points (going 6-for-6 against Weston) with two field goals and 26 total points.

The ‘Hawks came into 2006 with higher hopes and Nelson, already game-tested, was primed for a good season.

But on his first attempt, a field goal, in the season opener against Stratford …

“I was warming up, the field was wet, and my plant foot slipped (on a kick),” he said. “I had that in the back of my mind when the game started. I need to block that stuff out to be successful, but that time I couldn’t.”

That kick came up short. But Nelson made the next three attempts – all extra points – and the ‘Hawks captured a 35-34 overtime win over the Red Devils. Those kicks, by the way, were part of a string of 28 consecutive extra-points Nelson converted – dating back to a 3-for-3 effort against Immaculate back on November 4, 2005 – that ended when his first extra point attempt in a 14-13 win over Pomperaug three weeks ago was blocked.

“I just felt so fluid, from snap to hold to kick,” said Nelson, who credits his long snapper, Matt Kuruc, and placeholder, Joe DeVellis, with making the process so simple. “It was like I was a machine.”

All of that doesn’t come without a lot of hard work, though, which coach Roberts usually witnesses from a distance.

“Kickers are a different breed,” said coach Roberts. “Except for special teams drills, he is out there two-and-a-half hours a day by himself, kicking.”

Oh yeah, kicking can be a lonely profession.

“Last year was the first time I really started going off on my own,” said Nelson. “I didn’t even know what to think about. But now I think about the little things I can correct and imagining different situations in games.”

Can he imagine himself kicking in college? Sure he can, but although no opportunity has yet presented itself, a kicker with his potential (Nelson booted a 55-yarder in practice) and the ability to get kickoffs to the goal line should be able to find some collegiate field to call home.