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CAN YOU KICK A BALL!?
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No experience is necessary to explore the potential for you getting involved! Rugby, GAA and Soccer players are highly encouraged to fill out the interest form!

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Who are we & how can we help you?

At Leader Kicking, we are looking for ambitious athletes from any sporting background who are talented kickers. We will introduce you to the sport of American Football as a kicker or punter and open up your eyes to the exciting athletic and academic opportunities available through scholarships to American universities, all the while working to save you money on the cost of education.

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Did you know? Third-level education in Ireland has become expensive. According to the most recent numbers from Zurich.ie and other major publications, the average lifetime cost (4 years) to attend college in Ireland is €63,165.69 in rented accommodation or €30,544 living at home. If awarded a full scholarship to play in America, your tuition, housing, and food are FREE, plus you get access to world-class sporting platforms identical to those of professional athletes. This full scholarship is commonly valued at $250,000 over four years. Our goal, for those with the required ability, is to find you the best scholarship opportunity possible.

2022 Recap Video

BENEFITS of starting your journey

Leader Kicking is a program that will allow you to thrive as an athlete, student, and human with limitless potential in America. We will provide you with expert guidance as you embark on this life-changing journey, where you will gain access to elite sports and education programs that will provide you with experiences of a lifetime. As an athlete, you’ll get to experience world-class sporting platforms, and as a student, you’ll be set up for life after sports as you’ll graduate with a highly desirable undergrad or master's degree. For the top performers as kickers and punters, a career as a professional is an attainable goal, and we have the contacts to increase the odds of success.

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Did you know? By graduating from an American University, you are also granted a US working visa (OPT Visa) to enter the American workforce for one year after completing your studies. During your time in college playing football and given the vast Irish American connections, there are great opportunities to build a network to assist you in the next stage of life

No experience is necessary to explore the potential for you getting involved! Rugby, GAA and Soccer players are highly encouraged to fill out the interest form!

SIGN UP HERE

Who's behind the wheel?

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I’m Tadhg Leader, and Leader Kicking is the intersection of my passion, purpose, and skillset.

In the above sections, I’m talking the talk, but what you most critically need to know is, I’ve walked the walk. Now I’m here to guide you on your journey. My background includes playing both Rugby and American Football professionally, alongside getting both my undergraduate and master's degrees in America. I know firsthand what life is like as a scholarship athlete and the phenomenal opportunities that come with it, on and off the field. Now it’s your turn. Are you ready?

The pathway

The pathway is simple enough as it's a road I know well. Fortunately, I have the assistance of experts on the ground in America as coaches and academic advisors to act as additional mentors for the pathway ahead. Here it is in its most basic form:

  • Attend training sessions across Ireland to explore your abilities.
  • If deemed talented enough, you’ll be invited into the immersive program.
  • In the immersive program, you’ll engage in all aspects of kicking and punting, coaching and development, strength and conditioning, lifestyle, sports psychology, and, most importantly, guidance for the American education system, alongside your family's involvement.
  • While in the program, we actively recruit and source scholarship opportunities for you.
  • You go to America for the duration of the degree program, where you’ll live the life of an elite student-athlete. We will continue to support and mentor you.
  • You graduate with a degree and a network to embark on the next stage of life. For those who perform to the highest level, we can help you play professionally.
  • Ross Bolger - Our 1st Athlete!

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    Our first athlete to have displayed the required levels of ability and dedication is currently speaking with numerous college programs at the moment for a scholarship starting in the Fall of 2023. Here is a testimonial from his parents, Vera and Jim;

    “Once we realised that Ross was serious about pursuing a College Football Progamme in the USA we decided to support him in whatever way we could,from both from a footballing and academic perspective. We listened to what his needs were from a specialist kicking and academic perspective and we were delighted to engage with Leader Kicking. Their formal practice sessions have proved invaluable and we are sure that they will stand Ross in good stead in the future. Tadhg Leader’s knowledge and experience of the game, his prowess as a kicker and kicking coach, his professionalism when dealing with colleges and with college coaches is impressive which has allowed us as a family to enjoy this journey together.”


    John Carney Testimonial

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    "Tadhg possess a great combination of athleticism, mental toughness, and desire. He is embracing the challenge and risk of immersing himself in the world of American Football. His newfound football knowledge, coupled with his already elite rugby background, gives him the tools to properly coach kickers.”

    - John Carney | Super-Bowl winner and 24 year NFL kicker. Now one of the world's most sought-after kicking coaches.


    We were in the Irish Times!


    "Tadhg leader trotted on to the field with four seconds left on the clock in his 10th ever game of american football. It was late may of this year and the stage was the canadian football league, the venue hamilton, ontario. The game was a pre-season dust-up between leaders team, the hamilton tiger-cats, and their east division rivals, the montreal alouettes. Every player fighting his own small war." Continue Reading..

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    Ireland's kicking KING! 👑

    Ireland's Kicking King is a nationwide search to find Ireland's best kicker and introduce Irish athletes to American Football that launched in 2022. Thanks to the support of our sponsors, Aer Lingus and the Aer Lingus College Classic, we traveled to Galway, Limerick, Cork, Belfast, and Dublin to host regional events where over 50 kickers participated. Athletes of all ages and backgrounds (GAA, Rugby, Soccer, etc.) were coached on the fundamentals of kicking American footballs before participating in the kicking challenge. The top three performers of each region qualified to compete alongside the other top fifteen kickers from around Ireland. These kickers went head-to-head where the top three were awarded the opportunity to kick at Aviva Stadium during the halftime of the Aer Lingus College classic between Northwestern and Nebraska.

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    With nerves at an all-time high, the three kickers aged 17, 18, and 19 impressively took center stage and performed phenomenally well. They hit back-to-back 45-yard field goals to the crowd's roar before hitting 50-yard plus punts. Andy was eventually crowned Ireland’s Kicking King and won the top prize of two roundtrip flights to Chicago and tickets to a Northwestern football game. Everyone walked away with their heads held high after such impressive performances. This event confirmed that we have the talent in Ireland to be top kickers and punters in American Football, pending the proper platform to showcase our abilities. At Leader Kicking, we are here to provide the platform to trailblaze the way for future Irish kickers and punters in American Football.

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    No experience is necessary to explore the potential for you getting involved! Rugby, GAA and Soccer players are highly encouraged to fill out the interest form!

    SIGN UP HERE

    Contact

    Any questions or queries?

    Please reach us at tadhg@leaderkicking.com

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