Wednesday, May. 26, 2010

Kicker draws coaches' attention

It is an understatement to say that Niklas Sade is a place-kicker and punter on his Wakefield High School football team. Coaches rank him among the top five high school kickers in the country.

Old-fashioned hard work got him there.

Niklas celebrated his 17^th birthday on May 19 by going to the North Carolina Zoo. He will celebrate the summer before his senior year by attending football camps and showing off his skills for college coaches.

"The month of June is packed with camps and invitations to kick in front of college coaches," Niklas said. "I don't even know how many I will attend."

Niklas' success on the football field is a dream come true, but it is not a matter of luck or of even being in the right place at the right time. He's earned it.

For one thing, he has grown during his high school years, now standing at 6-foot-3 and weighing in at 190 pounds.

"When Niklas was a sophomore, he was not half the size he is now," said Chris Sailer, who runs the Chris Sailer Kicking program in Burbank, Calif.

Sailer has Niklas placed at No. 4 on his list of national rankings.

"Niklas really is that good," Sailer said. "I train over 1,000 high school kids a year, and I would say he is the best kicker in all of North Carolina."

Niklas grew up loving to kick a ball. He played soccer in Germany, where he was born and lived until moving to North Raleigh when he was 9. By the time he was in seventh grade at Wakefield Middle School, he had traded in the round ball for the oblong pigskin and set his sights on becoming good enough to play football in college.

"I thought football would give me better opportunities than soccer," he said. "I love being in football stadiums; I love the atmosphere. I love the whole tradition of football."

Dan Orner is a believer.

"I have no doubt Niklas will be a Division I scholarship kicker," said Orner, who runs Dan Orner Kicking and Punting in Charlotte. Orner knows a thing or two about kicking. He kicked for Michigan State from 1999 to 2001 before transferring to UNC-Chapel Hill, where he played through 2003 and broke UNC and NCAA records.

"I would put Nik up against any kid in the country," Orner said. "He is a natural talent and a real student of the game."

That he has come so far so quickly might be seen as a miracle in some circles, but he's really a product of effort and determination.

"When I first saw Niklas as a sophomore, he was OK," Sailer said. "He had a decent leg and natural ability. I thought he would play college ball at some level."

Niklas leaped from just "OK" to great last January during a Sailer-sponsored National Kicking Event in Las Vegas, where he ranked among the Top 12 underclassmen competing.

Niklas credits Orner, who is his personal coach and trainer. "Dan has made the biggest impact on my game," he said. "He's helped tremendously with my fundamentals and my ability to deal with pressure."

Although Niklas is tall, braces on his teeth make him look younger than 17. He's shy in person but commanding on the field. He doesn't mind the pressure of standing alone to deliver a powerful and accurate kick.

"I love being the center of attention. I love it when the fans get behind me," he said. "I try not to think about the consequences of missing [a kick].

"I used to get frustrated, but now, I let the bad kicks go and focus on making the next one."

He admits he didn't get serious about kicking until he made the varsity football team at Wakefield. "Then I met Dan, and step by step, I started working to improve so I can make it into college," he said.

It says a lot about his character that Niklas had a dream and is working hard to achieve it, Orner said. "Success comes to those kids who really want to be the best in the country," he said. "Nik is one of those kids."

Sade is not stopping for summer break. Between visits to camps and combines, he'll be training in the gym. "I am preparing for a good senior year," he said.

Niklas is playing at the top of his game, and feeling on top of the world.