"Working with Chris from high school and into the NFL I credit my success both on and off the field to him. The fundaments, drill work, and attention to detail given by him are tailored to each players needs, providing a one of a kind work environment. His teaching principles gave me the tools necessary to succeed at the highest levels of athletics. Without the knowledge I gained through Chris, I would have been unable to effectively pursue my childhood goals. While success originates from an individual's determination and work ethic, Chris provides the tools necessary for players to thrive at the highest levels of competition. I am forever grateful for the personal time and effort Chris dedicated to ensuring my success. Each award, honor, and trophy I received partially belongs to him as none would have been possible without his oversight."
Owen Tolson
CPT Owen Tolson
Battle Captain
4-5 AMD BN
Camp Arifjan, Kuwait
Army punter and kicker 2005-2007, holds all punting records in school history
Ranked #7 punter in the nation for 2007 with 45.0 yd punting average
One of five punters selected nationwide for the 2008 NFL Scouting Combine
College Football News All-American 2007
Phil Steele's All Independent Team 2005, 2006, 2007
Dallas Morning News HS All-Area Team, 2004
Dallas Morning News #56 of Top 100 College Recruits, 2004
"I have been working with Chris and since my sophomore year in high school. Since then I have been the starting kicker at Texas Tech University for 4 years on a full-scholarship. I have completely transformed as a specialist in the 6yrs I have been working with Chris and KICKNATION. The fundamentals, skills, and drill work that I have taken from my years of camps and personal training with Chris have conformed me into the kicker I am today. No matter how many times I have worked with KICKNATION, I have always been able to take a different tool or observation to help me become that much better of a kicker. Not only has Chris been my coach on the field, but also my mentor off the field. He has opened his family to me and shared his past experiences to help me be successful in my career. I believe in KICKNATION, and appreciate everything they have helped me accomplish!"
Donnie Carona
Texas Tech University K/P 2008-2011
"I have been working with Coach Chris and the KICKNATION team since high school and they have been a huge part of my transformation from a high school kicker to a Division 1 starter (University of Toledo). Coach Chris and Coach Clinton stayed by my side helping me grow throughout my high school,early college and junior college years and is a big reason why I received a full ride scholarship to The University of Toledo. I have kicked with Chris for more than 6 years and although I have had some difficulties, like any kicker at times, he has always taken the time and has the knowledge to adjust me back to the kicker I knew I could be. He focuses on the little things and pushes drill work that, if done persistently, will bring anyone success. Overall, Coach Chris, Coach Clinton and the KN Team are a great group of guys that have gone through everything a kicker can go through, so I could always relate to them and talk to them about any issue on and off the field. I recommend KICKNATION to any kicker who is looking to take their game to the next level."
Ryan Casano
University of Toledo Kicker 2009-2011
"Coach Chris,
Just wanted to take the time to send you a note saying thank you for all that you have done for Taylor. My only regret is that we did not get hooked up with you earlier. Taylor had always been a pretty good athlete in general (garnishing All State honors as a kicker and receiver) and we had also attended several Kohl's and Sailer camps over the past few years to try and get some recognition and added instruction in an effort to better his chances at acquiring a D1 scholarship. He did well and was ranked fairly high on their list but when it came down to the signing date there was just not that much interest being shown out there. We had even signed up with a recruiting firm through one of the camps and had videos made and sent out but still really not much interest as far as possible scholarship. We contacted several coaches and did receive a couple offers saying we could come to the program and try out as a walk-on, but nothing very promising. It was getting close to the signing deadline and as this was our first rodeo didn't really know all the ins and outs and were getting a little panicky.
It had always been Taylor's dream (as I am sure it is 1,000 other kids out there) to play at the next level. I thought we had done all the right things. I was hoping that with the contacts and camps and his rankings from all these places that we had put all our time and money in so to speak, would pay off or at least give us some advice or advantage, but that was not the case. We did finally receive some interest from a couple D2 schools and Taylor ended up signing with SAU as they told him that he would have the opportunity to play both kicker and receiver. It turned out to be both a good and bad experience in some regards. He was able to go in and win the KO, FG and also punting jobs as a freshman, but never got the chance at receiver. This part was good because he had alot of opportunities in real game situations to perform and it also made him decide that if he was going to be just a kicker and punter that he wanted to do it at the D1 level and to start focusing more on just the kicking/punting part.
Luckily we were able to find you at this point and with all your help his dream is becoming a reality. You have been so much more than just a coach. You honestly care about each and every one of these kids and do whatever you can to help them. Your ability to relate with them and figure what makes them tick so they can achieve their best is remarkable. I have proof in these two pictures I sent you on his punting technique. He was a decent punter at SAU and was ranked 3rd in the conference( even with the form he shows in the first pic) but the form he is showing in the 2nd pic from a recent Texas Tech practice... I mean "WOW" that transformation in less than a year's time is hard to believe.
You have three things that I feel put you at the top of the peak in what you do and way ahead of anyone else out there.
1. Your experience and coaching and just being able to get into the kids heads to learn and perfect their technique (evidence by the before and after pics I sent you)
2. Your contacts. I mean once we got on board with you I was totally blown away. I mentioned all the other camps and recruiting firms we were a part of in the beginning of this letter because I thought surely that was the way to go because they were well known and would have plenty of contacts. I was so wrong. You have so many contacts and deal with so many coaches on a very personal basis. I've joked with you before that I can't believe these coaches actually listen to you and believe you, but it's actually much more. They honestly trust you and what you say. That trust can only come from the fact that you have been right on in the past and that your reputation is untarnished.
3. You honestly care for these kids. They are not a number to you. You want them to succeed as much or maybe even more sometimes than they do and not because it helps you and your reputation but because you know the positive effects it will have on them and how much it will prosper their lives and future.
As I said in the beginning of this letter, my only regret is that we did not find you sooner, my time and money would have been much better invested. Thank you for everything. We are looking forward to your continuing work and development with Taylor and hopefully a bright future at Texas Tech as well as the continued development of our younger son Jared and whatever the future may hold for him.
Thanks again and God Bless,"
Dr. Sam Symmank
"I would like to highly recommend Coach Chris Shaw and KICKNATION. We are located in Brownwood, TX. Being 2-3 hours from major cities and my son also playing wide receiver and backup QB, our time to get to high level special teams coaches was difficult. Coach Chris even came to us in Brownwood for private training. This personal touch was greatly appreciated and created a strong bond as not only player to coach but also friends. Coach Chris's knowledge of the fundamentals of the kicking game helped my son develop the consistency that set him apart from some other highly ranked kickers. Coach Sean Snyder at Kansas State stated that it was this consistency that led him to offer a full ride to Kansas State to Matthew. Right now, my son is practicing to represent Team USA in the USA vs the World game and realize one of his goals. Another goal of playing D1 football will soon be realized as he is working hard to earn the starting spot, even as a freshman.
Thank you again Chris for helping Matthew and being not only a great coach but also a friend."
Take care and God Bless!
Steven McCrane (Father of Matthew McCrane, Kicker, Kansas State Wildcats)
"I have been meaning to write you for some time now. I still receive you emails from Kicknation. To make a long story short, my son Kevin tried for several Div l schools for punting, received many responses from colleges he was intersted in, invites to come try out, etc. but no actual offers from Div l schools.
He did receive several scholarships-offers from several Div ll schools, 2 from Ok, 2 from Ark and 3 from TX, until he was just tired of going to all of the invites, with some interest from TX Tech & A & M, Sonny Cumbie & Dat Ngun, when they were recruiting there. The best offer he got was from Abilene CU, as a starting freshman punter from coach T when he was there last year. But anyway, Kevin decided not to pursue football kicking, which startled me to no end! The end of my world came crashing down, as I thought his dreams were the same as mine since he did sports starting at age 4, ha! Boy was I wrong, I learned it was not about what his dad wanted, it was about what HE wanted. Amusing lesson to learn, but life is still really great. He was just ready for his next phase in his life he said.
He is now going to A&M and loves his life there. But what impressed me was all the information we gleamed from you and your kicking camps were right on. I took many notes from your link and camps. The grades, as you pointed out, were so important from what the coaches told us, a potential players behavior, the time the school would invest in players. His grades made it easy for colleges to not have to use their money for recruiting, but still coaches did favor better students. They much preferred a good kicker who was also a good student over a troubling, misbehaving student to be. I do believe any promotions - exposure Kevin received thru your camps actually did help a lot! Exposure and name recognition via KickNation was a given. Most of his offers did come way later than national signing day, as he waited for calls that never came, but they sure did later in the spring-early summer. The coaches really wanted to speak with potential players one on one, as you had told us. Having a 'link' for coaches - recruiters was the way to go, helped so much in the recruiting game! Unofficial and official visits helped but if they were not interested in you, we could tell they were blowing smoke but we realized to just move on to the next school. One big piece of advice Kevin got from yall was to Dream Big and Work Hard, that summed it all up. That working hard advice and not giving up really contributed to his growing up, maturing, and seeing how one can succeed in life, not just sports. We still follow the kickers and punters that made it into collegiate sports, and Kevin and I still speak of kicking coaches he met and helped him and college coaches he kicked for and met. Met a lot of great people in this sport that he and I won't ever forget.
So, I want to say to you Thank You so very much for all my son Kevin and even I as a parent learned from you, your assistant coaches-helpers and Kicknation! Life is great sir ! May God bless you and yours."
Respectfully,
Jerry Gonzalez (parent of Kevin Gonzalez)
"It is amazing how one person can have such a great impact on a young man's life. But, that's exactly what happened after Ben spent his first three days training with Coach Chris. Ben had a "eureka" moment. What followed was an ongoing relationship between a coach and a young man that fostered a transition from an elite soccer player who kicked adjunctively, to a focused football specialist who became a bona fide candidate to kick at an FBS-level program. Coach Chris guided Ben's approach to diet, strength and conditioning, training routine, and the mental aspects of the game. Ben was a good kicker and was being noticed by programs around the country following his sophomore and junior seasons. Coach Chris took that raw talent and tweaked, refined and strengthened it and Ben took an already good game to a whole new level. Ben's distance and confidence improved dramatically. While he had garnered All-State, All-Texas, All-District, All-County, and All-Greater Houston recognition throughout his three year varsity career, all of us were stunned when Ben was named to the U. S. Army All-American team his senior season. Ben would not have received that recognition had he not been mentored by Coach Chris. Now, Ben gets to take all that he has learned, and will continue to learn from Coach Chris in the coming years, to one of the most storied and successful BCS programs in the country when he leaves for Austin to attend the University of Texas and become a member of the Longhorn football team.
Coach Chris has an uncanny ability to connect with young men at a level they can relate to, and get the absolute best out of them. He focuses on the whole person, not just the athlete. His follow-up and commitment to those he coaches and their families is particularly noteworthy. We are extremely grateful for his influence, not just on Ben, but on our entire family. "
Michael K. Pruitt, Esq., FACHE and Dr. Renee M. Pruitt
The Woodlands, TX
"I want to thank you for working with Ryan. He has developed into a much better kicker during the time he has spent working with you. Your attention to detail in all aspects of kicking has led to his marked improvement. I look forward to seeing Ryan’s continued progress as he trains with you while he is a member of the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Talk to you soon."
Bobby Bustin
Kilgore, TX
"I highly recommend KickNation and SnapNation to all kickers, punters and long snappers who are wanting to take their skills to another level. I've observed Chris Shaw and Aaron King doing an amazing job teaching and nurturing kids of all ages and at all skill levels and I've found both to be extremely knowledgeable in each segment of the kicking game. In today's college sports landscape, it is difficult for specialists to be properly evaluated and gain exposure to schools because of time restraints. Chris Shaw has a proven track record as a consultant to many of the top football programs. He spoke highly of our son to Texas Tech and his recommendation along with video shot from a private lesson with Chris landed our son a preferred walk on opportunity. The KickNation and SnapNation programs are well worth the money and time invested!"
WK Brenner
Plano, TX
"We began our search for a kicking coach during Cale's Sophomore year. A friend who had worked with several kicking specialist sent me an email with a well qualified list of kicking coaches. He did, however; tell me his son really connected and learned a lot from Coach Chris Shaw with KickNation. I called KickNation and arranged a one hour trial session with Coach Chris for Cale. After the first session, Cale got in the car and was very adamant that Coach Chris is who he wanted to work with. I asked him why and Cale said he was certain he would learn and become the best kicker possible working with Coach Chris. Two years later, as Cale enters his Senior year I could not be more pleased with our decision to solely rely on KickNation to get Cale where he wants to be as a kicker . To sum the past two years of working with KickNation up into one word would have to be "TRUST". My son believes in Coach Chris."
Grady Brewer
Prosper, TX
"Just wanted to thank you guys again for the great camp that our grandson got to attend in Stillwater, OK this summer. He is a 5th grader at Tulsa Union and kicked his first extra point today!! This was his first attempt for him and his team!! Thanks, again!"
F.C."Jumbo" Eaton, D.O.
North Arkansas Regional Medical Center
"I want to highly recommend Chris Shaw at KickNation for your son’s kicking needs. My son
didn’t start punting until he was a Junior in High School. Unfortunately, we used another kicking
coach his Junior year and didn’t begin using Chris until Senior year. Chris quickly made a
connection with Michael and convinced him he was built to be a punter but he was way behind,
but with hard work and a plan, he could improve. After working with Michael for about 3-4
months, he convinced Michael to try and walk on in college at a Big 12 University. Chris and his staff gave
Michael the confidence and more importantly the work ethic to succeed. Three years later,
Michael is living his dream of playing big time college football. His confidence, attitude, work
ethic and organization is a direct link to working with Chris and getting the opportunity to walk
on in college. Thank you Chris and your staff for your continued support and work with Michael. Believe me,
there are others out there just looking for your money, but Chris is looking out for your son and
will shoot straight with you. Trust in others, is a great thing to have. Thanks Chris!"
Mike Reichenstein
"Dear Chris, just a couple of lines to thank you for your words after the UTSA camp...Clinton was also very kind to my son Mikael...whom I hope will continue to develop and improve...I wish you guys the best sincerely.
P.S. I just spoke to Dan Bailey and he told me you are a good guy and a good teacher...keep up the good work."
Henry Sroka, Dallas Cowboys Scout
"We were very fortunate to have Chris Shaw visit our campus in the spring of '12. What Chris taught us regarding punters, kickers, snappers and holders translated to great success on the field for our program this past season. Our team finished the season 9-2 and won our conference championship. Our kicker, punter and KO'S have received several postseason accolades for their performances. We did not have a single punt or kick blocked all season, largely due to the techniques Chris taught us on how to improve our operation times. Our kicker set a new school record for FGs made in season, and in our final four games when it mattered most, he was 10-12 FG's and made a new career long. Each day of practice our specialists applied Chris's DMO (Daily Method Of Operation) which paid off with huge dividends. As our season went on, our specialists grew stronger and performed at a much higher level. As we move forward our coaches and players will continue to apply the techniques and suggestions of KICKNATION."
Tom Murphy
SUNY Cortland Football
Punters / Kickers Coach
"KICKNATION is a company that we have used for the last five years. They have a passion for developing kickers regardless of their skill level and it shows with the results. The quality of Chris Shaw and his staff is hard to find & definitely hard to beat. If you are a coach or a parent, I would highly recommend KICKNATION for your kicking needs."
Todd Ford
Head Football Coach
Round Rock Cedar Ridge HS (Round Rock, TX)
"I can't recommend and endorse Chris Shaw and KICKNATION enough! He has developed a proven system of fundamentals and teaching techniques, as demonstrated by the success of the athletes that he works with, that can take you to the next level. He truly cares about each individual. He does a tremendous job and has a unique ability to teach and communicate with athletes of all ages and skill levels from the beginner kicker to the elite kicker in college and the NFL. He is someone I trust and as a Special Teams Coordinator in College, he was the first person I called when recruiting a specialist or when I had a question about my own kickers/punters for technical and fundamental help."
Rick LaFavers - College Coach
1-inch Kicking Block
