Jesuit High kicker Aidan Swanson distinguished himself as one of the best in the state this past season.
At a national kicking competition, he established himself as one of the best in the country.
Kicking comes naturally to Swanson. And it came naturally at an early age.
“My dad, he saw me in the back yard kicking a little Nerf football and said why not give this a shot?" Swanson said. "And it’s worked out from then on.”
Swanson began working with famed Jesuit kicking coach Tom Feely and soon discovered he had some talent. The Jesuit sophomore recently placed first at the Kornblue Kicking combine featuring the top kickers in the country.
“I see a long future for him in football, I really do, and I mean that sincerely," Feely said. "I think he’s got potential to go as far as the NFL.”
Last season, Swanson led the Bay Area in kickoffs. As a junior, he's looking to improve in a number of categories.
“Next season, I’d love to get my kickoffs five or deep in the end zone and then improve punts, get more hang time, more distance," Swanson said. "And for field goals, I’m just trying to be accurate and make the best I can out of the kicks.”
It's that drive to be better, coupled with innate skill that sets Swanson apart.
“A, he’s got really good technique," Feely said. "And B, he’s a gamer and those are the two best combinations. I mean, he rises to the occasion when the pressure’s on.”