Big Dream: A Little Luck
June 12, 2003 12:29 PM | General
Reprinted from 1993 Mountaineer Illustrated
Not the crowds, not the pressure, not his changing responsibilities on almost every possession, nor rain nor snow nor gloom of night -- nothing can penetrate the inner psyche of Mountaineer kicker Todd Sauerbrun.
"Kicking is a lonely job, but it's my life," says the junior from Setauket, N.Y., of the skill that serves as his hobby, vocation and passion. "I love being part of a team, and it's great to have that support, but at that moment, the pressure is on you. You are the center of attention and it's up to you to do your job.
"That's why I love the crowds. They just add that much more intensity and give me more adrenaline, especially on kickoffs and punts. At that point in the game, the kicker is the man in the spotlight, and if you do well, they just love you that much more."
While working his way into that spotlight, Sauerbrun has done exceptionally well. As a freshman, he handled kickoffs for West Virginia, quickly earning a reputation for booming the ball through the end zone. Last season, he added punting to his responsibilities, and averaged 44.3 yards on 53 kicks, seventh best among NCAA punters. That set a WVU school record for season average and earned him first team all-BIG EAST, all-East and honorable mention All-America honors.
With his powerful leg and even stronger will to succeed, Sauerbrun is attempting to add field goal kicking to his Mountaineer resume this season. And he plans to do no less than an exceptional job in that capacity.
"I always kicked field goals and extra points in high school (where he set the New York state record) and I've kept up with it in practice while I've been at WVU,~ he explains. "Actually, I think that once I get in the rhythm, my kicking will be better than my punting. It feels more natural to me. I've played soccer all my life, and the sidewinder motion is more comfortable."
Sauerbrun explains that punting and place-kicking are two different skills; punting is just "keeping your leg straight and right in front of you," whereas place-kicking "is just a sidewinder movement." But while the motions of the two are different, Sauerbrun's emotions stay the same.
"Actually, it's not even emotional, because I don't think about anything when I'm kicking. I don't get caught up in over-thinking techniques, and I don't get caught up in thinking about the pressure,~ the confident kicker says. "I just think about getting the job done so we can win games. You shouldn't ever have to think about anything else."
Sauerbrun's sense of seriousness is the result of a process that began when he entered college in the summer of 1991. "I've matured. I've grown up,~ he says without any reluctance, "and that was an adjustment that I definitely needed.
"I didn't know what to expect when I got to college -- that's something you don't know until you get there -- and I didn't really want any help or advice from anyone at that point. Now I have a different viewpoint, more maturity. I was bummed out my first year, but I've adjusted. I love it here now -- West Virginia is great. And I love being part of a team and all that means."
Part of Sauerbrun's responsibility as the old man among the Mountaineer kickers has been shepherding WVU's young flock of "Todd wanna-bes~ through their daily chores. "I don't mind, because we're all friends, and maybe I can help them out," Sauerbrun says of the 11 freshmen and sophomores who shadow his every move. "We made a pact when camp started -- as long as we've done our best, we want the best kicker to do the job, and none us will gripe about what happens. By helping them, I think that's just another way I can help the team."
This past summer, Sauerbrun enlisted some help for himself from a variety of sources. "This summer I decided I wasn't going to work -- by that I mean no summer job and no summer school," the honor roll student in physical education explains. "For the first time, I went to a couple of kicking camps -- one in Massillon, Ohio, and one at Trenton State College -- and I also had the chance to do work with (NFL kicker) Sean Landeta one-on-one.
"I'd never gone out and actively sought help before, but I realized that I had to do it. Those people were very impressed with the power of my leg and my consistency in punting, but they really helped me clean up my form. They gave me a lot of little pointers that have helped.
"I've matured enough to realize that it's good to take information from different sources and get all the help you can. I'm very serious about my kicking, and I want to maximize my ability to the full extent."
Which involves work -- lots of it. "I said I didn't work this summer, but what I did was strictly work on my kicking," Sauerbrun explains. "I went out to kick every day, sometimes twice, sometimes three times a day. My girlfriend Nicole Boland went every day with me. She did all the snapping, she was my holder, she chased the balls for me, no matter how long it took. When I'm working out, I'll kick until I feel happy with what I'm doing."
This season, Sauerbrun is continuing to find ways to improve upon his recordsetting exploits. "I want to continue to kick field goals until they are natural every time, and I feel I can always improve my punting, especially my flexibility. I have a great snapper in Mark Ulmer and a great holder in Brian West, and we are working together as a unit.
"Of course, my goal for this year is to contribute enough to the team and winning that we go to a bowl. I think I can really help us get there," says the kicker whose teammates teasingly call him "Cocky." "I have confidence in my ability to help this team, and I'm glad they think so too. I take that nickname as a compliment.~
Beyond a bowl bid, Sauerbrun's goal is to "go on to the next level. Kicking is my life, and I want to pursue those opportunities.
"I go to bed at night and think we're in our own end zone and I punt the ball clear down to the other end zone, or I kick the game-winning field goal. Those might be dreams, but it's not up to anybody else. It's up to me, and I know I can do it."
