In my coaching day dreams, I have always thought if I was a head coach of a rebuilding college program, the first thing I would do is identify the best punter and kicker in the country, and then go recruit those guys and give them the first two scholarships of my tenure.  My thinking would be, we may struggle offensively and defensively, but a kid that can turn the field over with a long punt, or win a close game with a 50-yard field goal is really going to help this team.

This year, if I was that head coach, I could do one stop shopping for both a world-class punter, and long distance kicker all at one place.

At Norcross High School there is one player who is really putting his best foot forward...and really both feet forward in a way.

Norcross kicker-punter Jake Camarda is a dual threat when it comes to the kicking game. The 6-2, 180 pound senior is ranked as the number one kicker, not just in Georgia, but in the COUNTRY.

I asked Jake about being ranked so highly by some of these player-rating services. “I really don’t get caught up in the ratings game. It is great to have a high number beside your name, it’s a nice accolade. But it does not help you at all during a game, and I am all about performance and coming through at game time for my team mates.”

Having a one-two punch like Jake is a big help to the coaching staff.

“He does a great job,” says Norcross Head Coach Keith Maloof, “with his strong leg, and proven accuracy I expect to see him kicking in the pros one day.”

Jake has won a lot of awards at kicking camps around the country.  He has trained himself to maximize his leg speed and power.  He has kicked all but one kickoff into the end zone for the Blue Devils, booted 52-yard and 47-yard field goals, and is averaging right at 45 yards a punt. That ability to flip the field as coaches say, is a huge weapon, kind of a football get out of jail free card.

“When we are in that position, I tell our offense, just play sound football, don’t make a mistake and Jake will get us out of trouble,” says Coach Maloof. As for having that equally strong right leg kicking field goals the head coach adds, “He is a great offensive weapon.  Once we get over the fifty-yard line we are moving into his range.  We will look to use him more and more as the season goes on. I tell you, I have known since he was in 9th grade that this kid is special.”

Jake is a special player and he has already verbally committed to Coach Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs.  He committed early in part so he would have the recruiting headaches out of the way, and he could concentrate just on kicking footballs this fall. “I looked at everything, I looked at a lot of options, and Georgia is where I wanted to go. I also did not want to have recruiting over take my time during senior year. I wanted to concentrate on being there for my team 100% my senior season.”

Jake started kicking a football in 8th-grade.  By the next year he decided he wanted to kick and punt, that’s when the hard work, and obsession with the game really began. “I am all about kicking.  I walk through the house dropping the ball onto my foot. I love it.”

Jake also wanted to talk about #99 Cole Hanna, one of his best friends on the team and a fellow kicker and punter. “We are great buddies, really close. Cole is a great kicker and he pushes me to be the very best I can be.”

And of course, every high school player in the country dreams about one day making it all the way to the NFL. “Sure like everyone I dream about kicking in the NFL on day.  I want to be the very best.  I want to perform at a high level.  I am working very hard and hope one day to play on Sundays.”

Jake is also a pretty good baseball player patrolling the outfield and pitching in relief for the Blue Devils baseball team.  But he gets his real kicks out of pounding the pigskin, high into the air, with a good tight spiral punt and booting field goals end-over-end, right through the up rights.  It’s a beautiful thing and with Jake, almost an art form.

The Bulldog Nation is getting a good one. Or two. It will be fun to watch Jake’s career blossom between the hedges…and beyond.