By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Community coach gives local kickers a leg up
Placeholder Image

When it comes to high school kickers, Bryan County was blessed with two of the nation’s best last season.

Richmond Hill High School senior Canon Rooker was the top kicker in Region 3-AAAAA while Bryan County High School junior Ty Wilson was the best in Region 2-AA. Both are highly touted nationally as well.

Rooker already has a college scholarship and will kick for Middle Tennessee State University next fall. Wilson, who kicks with his left foot, is getting plenty of attention from schools around the South but has yet to be offered. He’ll be back in the fall as a senior placekicker and punter for the Redskins.

Both Rooker and Wilson are coached by Patrick Means, a former Southeast Conference placekicker at Ole’ Miss and now a broadcast journalist who directs the morning show on WTOC while also coaching kickers for One on One Kicking.

Means also volunteers as a community special teams coach for RHHS during football season and has worked with All-Region punter Seth Vernau

How Means wound up at RHHS is a story in its own right. After signing with Ole Miss out of Pelham High School, Means wound up backing up Jonathan Nichols, the winner of the 2003 Lou Groza award given annually to the nation’s best collegiate kicker.

Read full story in May 25 issue of the Bryan County News.

Sign up for our E-Newsletters