by Adam Moynihan

The path from Kerry to the NFL is not well worn but this week Tadhg Leader is hoping to unearth a local ‘Kicking King’ who has the potential to make it big in American football.

Leader, a former Connacht and USA rugby player, is the man behind Ireland’s Kicking King, a nationwide search to find future American football kickers. Players from all codes including GAA, soccer and rugby are encouraged to enter the contest and see if they have what it takes.

Speaking to the Killarney Advertiser, Leader said that while it’s extremely difficult to make it all the way to the NFL, Irish sportspeople have the natural kicking talent to at least give it a go.

“You don’t know unless you try. Just show up. If you can kick a 45 in Gaelic, you’ll probably be pretty handy at this too. And you never know where it might take you.”

The Galway native founded Leader Kicking in 2022 to create a pathway for potential Irish punters and kickers. Under Leader’s guidance, former underage GAA stars Ronan Patterson (Cavan) and Ross Bolger (Laois) have already secured Division 1 scholarships in top US colleges.

Separately, Castleisland man David Shanahan, a former Kerry underage footballer, managed to secure a scholarship at Georgia Tech, where he plays as a punter.

CROSSOVER

There is an obvious crossover between the kicking skills needed in GAA, rugby and soccer and the kicking skills needed in American football, but there are obvious differences too. Kerry free-taker Seánie O’Shea saw that for himself when he participated in a promotional video for Leader Kicking alongside Galway’s Shane Walsh in 2022.

“Lads find that the distance they’re standing from the ball in Gaelic football versus American football is the biggest struggle,” Leader explained. “I think Seánie stands nine paces off the ball; in American football you have two-and-a-half.

“Thankfully, you don’t need nine steps. It’s just a thing that we’re used to doing [in Ireland]. Once you get a few repetitions of two-and-a-half, you find that it’s the last two steps where you’re generating power. So guys can get over that hurdle quickly.

“The actual art of ball striking is very similar in American football, rugby and Gaelic football. It’s all about your foot angle – like in golf, what does your club face look like? And then how does it transition out of the shot over the yard after impact.”

Jack O’Connor will probably want my head on a plate for even asking the question but I had to know: if someone like Seánie O’Shea gave up Gaelic football and tried to become an NFL kicker, how would he fare?

“In today’s landscape, American football kicking is global,” Leader said. “The standard of competition is really, really high and the level you need to be kicking at is very difficult.

“I think Seánie O’Shea would be capable to compete but he’d probably need months of training to be seriously considered at that level. The raw athleticism and ball striking ability is definitely there. And you know that guys like Seánie can kick under pressure, which is a really good thing to be able to tell American scouts and college coaches.

“But if you want to break into the NFL, there are only 32 people in the world who get to do it, so you can just imagine how competitive that is.”

KILLARNEY

The Killarney event takes place Friday at 7pm at Killarney Rugby Club and anyone over the age of 15, of any gender, is encouraged to attend. Whether you’re a talented young person or you're a 50-year-old who has a good strike of a ball, all are welcome. Registration costs €20.

The top performers from each regional location will compete in Energia Stadium on August 25 in front of thousands of fans as part of the half-time entertainment for aglobal football showcase, which features teams from across the world.

Ireland’s Kicking King 2023 winner and their plus-one will also get flown to America where they will be put up in a hotel and brought along to a Pittsburgh Steelers game.

But Leader’s ultimate goal is to help young Irish athletes secure a prize far more valuable than a trip abroad: a free ride and a top-class education at a major American college. Do you have what it takes?

Sign up for Ireland’s Kicking King at LeaderKicking.com.