The Campbell Reporter

Sports

Blakley is booming kicks for Westmont

By Brad Wall

When Westmont kicker Kevin Blakley lined up for a field goal attempt during the Warriors Sept. 22 game against Lincoln, he was attempting to do something that half of the kickers in the National Football League haven't done this season.

As the ball cleared the uprights 51 yards down the field, the 17-year-old Blakley joined a club that doesn't include such luminaries as two-time Super Bowl hero Adam Vinatieri and San Francisco 49ers kicker Joe Nedney.

Blakley's field goal was the longest in Westmont's 46-year history, and just to show that his kick wasn't a fluke, he booted 50-yard field goals in back-to-back games against Leland and Evergreen Valley.

Judging from his calm, laid-back attitude, no one would assume he was one of the stars of his team--let alone one of the best kickers in the Central Coast Section.

He has the same demeanor after the game whether he made a record-breaking kick or booted an extra point.

"You've got to keep yourself calm and under control; just don't freak out about it," said Blakley. "If you miss it, it's a 51-yarder--how many high school kids are making that?"

In the world of high school football, extra points can be an adventure, so the ability to trot out a kicker who can put points on the board from anywhere inside the opponent's 35-yard-line is a rare luxury.

"It's pretty cool having one of the best kickers in the CCS on the team," said Westmont lineman Garik Iosilevsky "It's just special to have."

However Blakley nearly didn't have a chance to kick a ball, see a sunset or even make it to high school. As a 1-year-old he was diagnosed with a rare childhood eye cancer called retinoblastoma. If untreated, it is almost always fatal.

"It was absolutely devastating for us," said Kevin's mom, Nancy Blakley. "We will never forget trying to make it through such a terrible time and evaluating various treatment options to try to save his life."

The retinoblastoma caused Blakley's retina to detach, and while the medical staff at Stanford Hospital managed to save his life, he permanently lost the vision in one eye.

Despite not having the use of both eyes, Blakley never let it negatively affect his life or his goals as he did the same things every boy his age did growing up--playing basketball, soccer and just about every sport he could.

After playing soccer during his freshman year at Westmont, Blakley decided to try out for football as a sophomore, hoping his soccer experience would help to land him a spot on the team.

"I tried out for football to play receiver and they had kicking tryouts," said Blakley. "I was the best one, so I was the kicker."

While having a big time leg as a kicker is much like having a big time arm as a pitcher--in the sense that you're either born with it or you're not--Blakley spends countless hours honing his craft.

In fact, Blakley's kicking game has become a family affair as every night for the past three years, he has practiced in his backyard with his father, Bill Blakley, acting as holder.

"We have been out there in all types of weather--110 degrees some days to others that are cold and wet. It's normally a family affair because it takes a lot of us to get the balls back to him," said Nancy Blakley.

In addition to acting as Blakley's practice holder, his father has also taken to using modern technology to help with Blakley's kicking game.

"We just got TIVO and my dad will be watching the game in his room and he'll pause it and yell at me to come watch how they kick the field goal," said Blakley.

More than just kicking ability, though, Blakley has the one quality that separates good players from great ones: The desire to improve.

When the Westmont field was under construction, the family kicking crew was undaunted as they went to various other schools, the community center, even to the park to kick between the pine trees, all to help Blakley improve.

In addition, Blakley attended the Ray Guy Kicking Academy in 2005 and the Cal Berkeley Kicking Camp in 2006.

More than just being a kicker, though, Blakley is a smart kid, who like all kids his age does lots of homework, and enjoys hanging out with his friends and his girlfriend.

Even though he's primarily a kicker, Blakley also plays wide receiver and wears No. 81. However, unlike the more famous 81 who plays for the Dallas Cowboys, Blakley is anything but a locker room prima donna or a team distraction.

"He's pretty laid back. He's a smart kid, he gets pretty good grades, he doesn't do any bad stuff and he takes care of himself," said Iosilevsky. "He's just a good guy."

Despite his obvious kicking talent, Blakley has yet to get the flood of offers one would expect for someone whose season long kick is more than Dallas Cowboys kicker Mike Vanderjagt. He has been contacted by some schools and is currently finalizing his kicking video to mail out to prospective colleges. Wherever he goes, he said he wants to major in engineering or accounting.

"My ideal school would be Cal Poly--the location, the school atmosphere, a D1 football team," said Blakley. "That would be cool."