I came to Paul Woodside and Before U Kick after deciding to switch from soccer and give football a try. Even though I only had 2 years of college eligibility remaining, a very limited time frame, and had never played football, they still took on the challenge. I was able to make the team at The Ohio State University as a walk-on, and in my second season was named the starting kicker. Without Before U Kick I never would have been able to kick in front of 108,000 fans in the ‘shoe. It has been a dream come true.
“We were referred to Paul and BeforeU Kick about three years ago. My son Steven was a converted soccer player that started kicking as a junior at a small high school in McLean. Steven was rough. Paul taught him form, style and most importantly–he taught him how to prepare and approach the game. Steven attended all of Paul’s camps and scheduled many one-on-one sessions. After graduating in ’15 he received a preferred walk-on offer to play D1 football at Tulane and we owe it all to Paul and Before U Kick. Even now that Steven is in college Paul still communicates with him discussing the stresses of college football. I give my full recommendation to any young man that is considering kicking, Paul is the best in the business.”
Paul Woodside has been an amazing mentor and coach to my son, Nicholas, from sixth grade to this fall as he heads off to college as a starting kicker in all three kicking positions. Paul’s passion and dedication to not only kicking, but developing my son into a well-spoken athlete, is the reason he has this opportunity this fall as a freshman in college. There is no kicking coach out there with greater acumen than Paul Woodside.
To perform at a high level in any sport an athlete needs to be prepared technically, physically and psychologically. Through my 10 years coaching youth sports, Paul Woodside is the first coach I’ve encountered who addresses these three aspects fully and completely. His strength lies in harnessing an athlete’s natural talent and abilities to produce a technically sound kicking swing for each individual. He challenges each athlete to think about this learning process and guides them to their own place of mental fortitude. This is why many kickers who have already “made it” return to him to continue developing their skills and approach. The exchange that takes place at his camps between these kickers of all levels produces many “Ah-ha” moments that reveal critical points in the development of the kicking swing and mental preparation. Our son quit college soccer in October of 2015 and began working with coach Woodside. He was accepted as a transfer to the University of Virginia eight months later in May of 2016. In August, at the pre-season training camp, he walked onto the football team. We happened to meet the Special Teams coach in the parking lot and he volunteered this comment, that our son “is very impressive.” This speaks volumes about coach Woodside’s Before U Kick program and the way he prepares his kickers.
Coach Woodside,
I’ve been meaning to write you since the end of last football season but haven’t because I wanted to make sure I said everything I wanted to say in the right way. Since another football season is about to begin I realize I need to just say whatever I can come up with right now.I guess this has been a challenge for me because I don’t know how to begin or if even when I do begin I’ll be able to express my gratitude for you being my coach in a satisfactory way.
You have helped me tremendously with your coaching. Obviously, I would not have developed the skill sets that I have if it weren’t for your instruction. I value that greatly, but not as much as your focus on developing my mental approach to football and life. Your weekly emails at every stage of the season and offseason providing insight and encouragement, to the cards you sent in the mail with a quote or an article to focus me for my upcoming game, and the books you gave me were huge. It always seemed like that whatever you would say at camp or write always addressed something that I was experiencing. Sometimes I heeded your messages better at times than others and would realize “So that’s what Woodside meant,” after the fact. Obviously, this is because you went through similar experiences during your career and life and have been able to put these things into perspective. It sounds dumb but I didn’t really grasp that concept as soon as I should have and feel that I may just now be starting to develop some of this perspective myself. Fortunately, I’ll be able to translate what I’ve learned from football to my career. A lot of John C. Maxwell’s books are on the shelves of my company’s store which sells only things that they want you to have or things that you need.
My whole kicking career- high school and college- was a blast and I have you to thank for a lot of it. I had an opportunity that very few kids have to play football in college (and get paid to do it too) and feel that I made the best of it, especially this past season. It was so much fun because I finally stopped caring so much about being perfect and just being whatever my best was at that time like you’ve said.
I owe you so much and am extremely grateful for the work that you have put into me and so many other people. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to make it to UVA this summer since I was traveling but I definitely will do my best to come and visit whenever I can.
I hope you are doing well and that you continue to be such a positive influence to so many people like you have been to me.
Sincerely,
Paul Woodside has been our son’s coach for the past year. He is a consummate professional that has a keen focus on the physical, mental and psychological attributes necessary to be a successful kicker at all levels. What’s most impressive, is his ability to challenge his client’s mind reaching far beyond just kicking the ball, but more so, preparing them for “real world”, life lessons.
My son has worked with Paul Woodside and staff at Before-u-Kick for 10 years, ever since he was a rising freshman in high school through his senior year of college. When he started with Paul, he had never kicked a football in his life and didn’t even know how to put the football pads/gear on. But, he attended every camp throughout the fall/winter and summer, training and dedicating himself to be the best he can be. His freshman year of high school, he made the JV Football team as the kicker and the Varsity as the back-up. His sophomore thru senior year he was the starting kicker, he was selected as 1st team All District and All Region three years in a row and selected to the All-State First Team. Also help lead his team to a District and Regional Championship.
As an athlete in high school and transitioning to college there can be some struggles along the way, which happened. He never gave up but was having doubts on his ability. With that being said, when he returned home for the summer, connected with Paul and staff training at the camps and 1-1 lessons. Not only did staff work on technique but also the mental aspects of being an athlete. Through his college career, he has been the starting kicker the first 2 years and the starting kicker/punter the remaining 2 years.
Not to say that all 4 years of kicking in college has been perfect. He has worked through injuries, surgery’s and rehab. This is a young man who has a passion for the game and never gave up his dream of playing in college. He still has the dream of playing for the NFL……..so, he will have to wait and see how his last season goes! But he also knows, if that opportunity does not happen he has his degree and hopes to help others with the skills and life lessons he has learned throughout these 10 years.
I cannot say enough about Paul, Jason and all the staff at Before-u-kick. They are like family.
Coach Woodside has been my son’s kicking coach for the last eight years (beginning in 2008). My son is a college senior and the starting place kicker on his Division 1 (FCS) team. This is his third year as starting place kicker. My son currently holds several collegiate school records for kicking, as well as winning all-league recognition last year and then again this year.
My son is 5′ 7″ and 175 lbs on a good day. He has very little athletic ability other than some hand-eye coordination. His coaches use a sundial to time his 40 yard-dash. Despite my son’s lack of size and athletic ability, he has been able to compete in part because of Coach Woodside’s exceptional coaching.
Coach Woodside starts a kicker off with his out-of-the-box physical regimens that include running up and down hills, pushing cars, running with bands, and martial arts. He then helps a kicker develop a technical routine that the kicker will use all of his life in practice, such as no-steps and other finer aspects of kicking. To finish a kicker off, Coach Woodside works on the psychological and inspirational aspects of not only kicking, but of life. The parents and the kicker should be ready to receive books and regular inspirational emails(all of which I have saved) from Coach Woodside. Coach Woodside is not only a kicking coach, but a life coach, and obviously, I believe the “real deal.”
I would highly recommend Coach Woodside and Before U Kick for any serious kicker, regardless of age or ability.
For my two sons, Zo and BenZo, they spent many camps, hillside climbs, and winter workouts with Paul and Jason. They both learned that to be successful, you need more than talent. You need to come out of your comfort zone and have confidence in yourself to make it real. Each achieved success on and off the field, in high school, college, and now in the professional ranks of the business world. U see, we all go pro at some time in our lives, even after we hang up the cleats.
