HS Football player feature story

A feature story I did a few weeks ago. I'd appreciate comments on strengths/weaknesses.

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Randy Bullock still remembers it like it was yesterday.

A little over one year ago today, Bullock was lining up against Lufkin, preparing to attempt his first varsity field goal, from 43 yards, as a sophomore for the Klein Bearkats.

Absent was the poise and calm he is renowned for today.

"That was probably the most nervous I've ever been," Bullock said. "It was a new atmosphere and a new team. I was just a sophomore trying to prove myself to all the upper-classmen."

The result was a sight that Klein players, coaches and fans have become all too familiar with as the ball sailed through the uprights.

What followed was ascension in status that not even Bullock himself could have imagined.

Then, Bullock was a shy newcomer, eager to make a good first impression on his teammates and coaches.

Now, the 5-11 junior is the top high school kicking prospect, according to Dave Campbell's 2006 Texas Football Magazine.

"I really don't think about it," Bullock said of the high honor. "It doesn't hit me until I go to all the combines and everybody's paying attention and looking at me. I don't think about it during the season though."

After an eventful summer, Bullock is busy owning up to his status as the best high school kicker in the nation.

In July, he participated in the 2006 Lone Star Kicking Challenge in San Marcos, Texas, among 200 other participants, and placed second in the kickoff competition. The first and third place winners were seniors who have recently verbally committed to colleges.

He continued his kicking exhibition in August when he took part in the National Kicking Combine, hosted in 23 regions around the U.S. He competed against 1,000 kickers and advanced to the semi-finals held in Dallas, and is currently ranked No. 1 on the leaderboard in kickoffs with the highest grading points.

"I just have confidence," said Randy, who hopes to be an engineer if a career in the NFL doesn't pan out. "Knowing you can do it and having full faith in your abilities is half the battle."

After trying out for the kicker position as an eighth-grader, Bullock aborted his first love - select soccer - to take advantage of his God-given ability.

The precision and mental focus that the kicker position required attracted Bullock.

"It's a lot of pressure when everybody's watching you," Bullock said with a grin. "It doesn't matter who really messes up, but when you miss a kick, it always looks like it's the kicker's fault. It could have been the snap or hold or whatever that went wrong, but to fans and everyone else, it's the kicker who missed.

"But still, I love that responsibility."

Through hard work and a determined commitment toward perfection, Bullock was promoted from the Freshman "A" team to the varsity squad within one year.

"I trained harder and I grew a lot between my freshman and sophomore years of high school," Randy said. "I developed a lot as a kicker and they felt I could really help the team."

After suffering an early injury as a sophomore, Bullock beat out a senior for the job and started to pay more attention toward his craft.

He spent long hours of his summer at Klein Memorial Stadium, perfecting technique and developing his range as his brother - a student at Texas A&M - would shag balls.

He attended an assortment of camps to learn from some of the best minds of the game. He also studied the professional game, particularly one kicker who engraved his reputation as one of the greatest clutch kickers in NFL history.

"I watch (Indianapolis Colts kicker) Adam Vinatieri," Bullock said. "I love watching him and how he performs in clutch situations. I always watch how the pros focus and how they keep their composure in tight situations. It's fun to watch."

There's another reason Bullock stays away from distractions to pursue his goals. It's a reason that provides greater motivation than the possibility of NFL glory or collegiate athletic success.

"My dad passed away 10 years ago from a heart attack so I'm really focused on helping my mom financially and trying to get a scholarship," Bullock said. "She's a big help with my combines and just getting my name out there for colleges and such.

"And kicking's given me great focus because I want to make him proud. I know he'd be proud of me."

Bullock is making sure that scholarships will be approaching him in vast numbers come his senior year.

While he may be unsure of what lies ahead for him, others have no doubt that Randy will be a success as a college athlete.

(cont.)

 

(cont.)


"He has excellent work habits and a great dedication towards kicking," said Bearkats special teams coach Craig Christel. "He has the ability to kick a variety of kicks. He's an excellent prospect for kicking at the next level."

Alongside his kicking skills that will likely allow him to compete and play football at the Division I level, he also takes care of his responsibilities off the field.

Randy maintains a healthy GPA that ranks him comfortably among the top 15 percent of his class. He serves as a chairperson for the Klein High student council and is also enrolled in Honors courses.

As a result, the distinguished likes of Duke, Nebraska, Texas A&M, and Rice - among others - have all been in hot pursuit of the affable kid with the powerful leg.

"I'm open for anything," Bullock said of his preferred college choice. "I just want to see my options and make a good decision. I want to go to a school I like, not just for football. You see a lot of people go to school they don't like and then it ends up not working out for them and they're miserable where they are.

"It'll be interesting to see where I end up."

As for the rest of this season, however, Bullock, who will be participating in the National Championship for Top Kickers and Punters in January, still has a lot to look forward to.

As always, he strives for excellence with each kick.

"I'd like to be an All-District kicker," Bullock said. "My coaches and I agree that anything less would not be a very good year."

 

Right away you lost me on the first cliche sentence. It adds nothing to your lede.

If you started with the second graph, it would be a much, MUCH better lede.

Randy Bullock lined up for this first varsity field goal one year ago today.
Absent was the poise and calm he is renowned for today.
"That was probably the most nervous I've ever been," Bullock said. "It was a new atmosphere and a new team. I was just a sophomore trying to prove myself to all the upper-classmen."
The result was a sight that Klein players, coaches and fans have become all too familiar with as the ball sailed through the uprights from 43 yards.
What followed was ascension in status that not even Bullock himself could have imagined.
Then, Bullock was a shy newcomer, eager to make a good first impression on his teammates and coaches.
Now, the 5-11 junior is the top high school kicking prospect, according to Dave Campbell's 2006 Texas Football Magazine.

 

I have to say it reads a lot like a recruiting profile for Rivals or Scout. Several good quotes, yet they're long-winded and unshaped. The lede is drawn out, and the coach quote is a kind of boilerplate reference quote you'd see in such a profile.

So I gotta ask: Is that what this is? If so, it could be a little less cliched and a tad tighter, but all the quotes and backstory are precisely what your readers - which include college coaches - want to read. I don't. But they do.

If it isn't, and this ran in a newspaper, first let me say I'm a little surprised your editor let you switch back and forth between Randy and Bullock for attribution. I'd suggest paraphrasing much of what Randy says, using quotes more sparingly. Then find some teammates who can speak to what Randy was like. Talk to Mom.