Every now and then you get the pleasure of interviewing a kid that blows you away. Sometimes it’s because that kid seems mature beyond his years. Sometimes it’s because of how impressed you are that a kid can be so selfless in a sports world obsessed with selfishness. And sometimes you are lucky enough to come across a kid that is so down to earth that you are left digging to find any hint of arrogance in him.
Rarely, however, do you find a high school football player that not only possesses all of those characteristics, but who is also one of the most coveted players in the country at his position.
Meet Kyle Brindza.
I recently had the pleasure or interviewing the 6-foot-2, 195-pound Brindza, a verbally committed member of the 2011 Notre Dame recruiting class.
Brindza said he's been pretty busy this summer.
“I’ve been attending kicking camps, and we’ve had several (team) camps this summer,” said the Michigan native. “We started two-a-days yesterday, and we’ll be on to fall camp soon.”
Those kicking camps appear to be paying dividends for the Canton High School star.
“I’ve hit a sixty-four yarder this summer,” proclaimed Brindza, referring to his longest made field goal. “My punts have also been right around sixty yards and my kick-offs have been going through the uprights.”
He hopes that his high powered leg will help carry his team through the playoffs.
“We want to get past the first round of the state playoffs this year, that’s one of our goals,” admitted the highly touted kicker. “Our school has never made it past the first round before.”
Winning isn’t the only thing that is important to Brindza and his Plymouth High teammates however.
“We want to become more of a family this year. We need to be more stable and trust each other more,” exclaimed Brindza, who will serve in a captaincy role this year for his team. “We want that to carry us into the playoffs so that we can trust the guy next to us.”
While team goals are important to the sharp-shooting kicker, he is also working towards several personal accomplishments.
“This year I want to be all-state in both punting and kicking,” suggested the Plymouth High star. “I also want to make an All-American bowl. I’m on the list for the Army All-American Bowl, but they don’t know what kickers they will take until around October.”
The class of 2011 specialist isn’t only an excellent football player however; he also might be one of Notre Dame’s top recruiters.
“I’ve been recruiting kids hard,” admitted Brindza. “Me and Jarrett (Grace) call each other ‘the middle-man of recruiting.’ I talk to everyone that I can. We are looking for the best teammates possible . “We want the RKG’s (Right Kind of Guys) that are going to help us win a championship.”
“We are a tightly-knit group, like a family,” he continued. “We’ll accept anyone and they’ll see that we are a family here at Notre Dame.”
It isn’t only the other members of his recruiting class that the multi-faceted kicker talks to however.
“I call Coach (Chuck) Martin every Monday,” said the Michigan product. “I talk to him about some recruits we need to jump on as committed kids. I also talk to special teams coach (Mike) Elston. I keep trying to build a relationship with him.”
While Brindza isn’t quite sure when he will take an official visit this fall, he is certain that he will not be visiting any other schools.
“No sir. I’m two-hundred-and-ten percent fully committed to Notre Dame,” proclaimed the senior kicker. “The soft verbal was a fluke. I just wanted to visit Michigan to make sure. It didn’t make sense to give my verbal to Notre Dame and then go visit other schools.”
At one point Brindza wanted to be an early enrolee at Notre Dame, but a little bit of mature perspective, combined with a lot of selflessness, helped him come to a conclusion.
“Notre Dame only takes about four or five early enrolees each year,” explained Brindza. “There are still some kids thinking of enrolling early. I’m giving up the chance to enrol early so that the skill players have a chance to get in early and get into their playbook. As a kicker and Punter I don’t need to get into the play book, I just need to kick the ball.”
Not only is the future Notre Dame specialist one of best kickers in the country, he’s also recruiting for Notre Dame, even if it means missing out on his chance to enrol early.
While Kyle Brindza continues to help the Notre Dame coaching staff in their efforts to find “RKG’s,” he need only look into the mirror if he wants to find exactly what Brian Kelly is looking for.
