By Damo Baresi - 9 Jan 2013 10:59 AM
Score! Norwegian kicker gets tryout with New York Jets after video of spectacular trick shots goes viral
By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
PUBLISHED: 07:14 GMT, 26 December 2012
A Norwegian could be on the verge of an NFL contract as a kicker after a Youtube clip he made of spectacular trick shots has been watched almost a million times.
The video caught the attention of professional teams in the United States and won its star, Havard Rugland, a tryout for the NFL's New York Jets this week.
'It went well,' Rugland told Norwegian TV station NRK. 'They tested me on field goals and kickoffs. Obviously you feel a little more pressure here, but I stayed pretty calm.'
Rugland has no prior American football experience but kicking coach Michael Husted says that if he continues to develop, he could reach the NFL.
'Havard has incredible talent as a kicker,' Husted, who played nine seasons as an NFL kicker, told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer newspaper.
'He has a cannon for a leg. As he continues to refine his technique, he could be one of the strongest kickers in the NFL.'
Husted says he became aware of Rugland via the Youtube video, and that he was asked to bring the kicker to San Diego to prepare him for a trial with an NFL team.
'A GM (general manager) from an NFL team contacted me about Havard. He wanted Havard to come to train with me in San Diego before they were going to fly him in for a workout.'
Budding pro: Harvard has quickly gone from practicing on his own in his hometown of Aalgaard in southern Norway to being prepared for tryouts with teams in the game's biggest league
'He reminds me a lot of (Sebastian) Janikowski in terms of stature and strength,' coach Husted said, drawing a parallel between Rugland and the Oakland Raiders' Polish placekicker.
Harvard has quickly gone from practicing on his own in his hometown of Aalgaard in southern Norway to being prepared for tryouts with teams in the game's biggest league.
'On this trip things have evolved rapidly, from just training alone to training to try out for a team. From where I am now, playing in the NFL is a long way to go, but my goal is to get a contract before the preparations begin for next season,' says Rugland.
No experience: Rugland, pictured, has no prior American football experience but kicking coach Michael Husted says that if he continues to develop, he could reach the NFL
But even if he does get a pro contract, Rugland will have a long way to go before he matches the achievements of fellow Norwegian Jan Stenerud.
Stenerud, one of only three kickers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, played 19 seasons in the NFL and is one of the highest scorers in the game's history.
He also kicked three field goals in the 1970 Super Bowl, scoring the first nine points in the Kansas City Chiefs' 23-7 victory.
Trick shots: The video, pictured, shows the 27-year-old performing some outrageous tricks and kicks, from nailing 60-yard field goals to soccer-style scissor kicks and volleys with American footballs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=jDwbjHV8jLo
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2253264/Havard-Rugland-NFL-Norwegian-kicker-gets-tryout-New-York-Jets-video-spectacular-trick-shots-went-viral.html#ixzz2HQn5Bp3x
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By afromanGT - 9 Jan 2013 4:48 PM
paulbagzFC wrote:I see no difference to what most good football/rugby players could do.
Are NFL-ites that jaw-dropped over someone who can kick a ball? =/
-PB
Actually yeah. A good mate of mine went over to america as a kid and his entire high school was in awe with how he could kick a ball as a 12 year old further than most of the seniors.
There's a few good trick shots there. I pulled off the one on 0:27 at training last week. Hurt myself in the process though :lol:
Also, being able to consistently hit a FG from over 60 yards is pretty rare in the NFL where the record is 64 yards.
Edited by afromanGT: 9/1/2013 04:51:01 PM
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