Harvard-Westlake's Oliver Puts His Best Foot Forward

Kickers don't get much attention, especially in high school football, but Harvard-Westlake's Will Oliver is one of the best players for the Wolverines (2-6-1) heading into tonight's Mission League finale against visiting St. Francis (5-4). Kickoff is 7 p.m.

The senior has kicked six field goals and 21 extra points, and 31 of his 41 kickoffs have sailed into the end zone for touchdowns. Plus, Oliver has averaged 38.1 yards on 35 punts with eight inside the 20.

"I just focus on what I know and what I have learned over time," said Oliver, a prodigy of renowned kicking specialist Chris Sailer. "I just allow my own personal work ethic to keep me grounded, which has helped me make great strides both on and off the field."

Sailer still holds the area record for most field goals in a season back when he played for Notre Dame High, and he has been tutoring many of the Valley's best through the years.

"He gives me the techniques to work on and practice every day, and he's always there to teach me the proper lessons. I owe a lot of my success to Chris," Oliver said.

Oliver has worked hard through the years, and he hopes to keep on kicking in college.

"Realizing the work I needed to put in to become a good kicker was the first thing I had to come to terms with," he said. "This has been a great learning experience, and I took to it immediately. Looking forward to playing in college gave me all the motivation I needed to put in the extra effort, week in and week out. Like anyone else, we kickers have our good days and bad days. I am lucky enough to have had more good than bad."

Oliver is also a top student who has scored a 1980 on his SAT. He puts his school work first, but kicking is a close second.

"We are instructed that education is the ultimate key to anyone's success, regardless of talent. At the end of the day, it's the thing that matters most," Oliver said.

Among the colleges that interest Oliver are Virginia, North Carolina, Cal, Maryland, Michigan, Washington and the Ivy League schools.

"I think I know who my three favorites are, but I want to wait until my trip up to Washington to decide who I am leaning toward the most," said Oliver, who has visited Michigan. "Hopefully I will be starting at a Division I college or redshirting and playing the next four years of my college career."

Oliver also plays lacrosse and ice hockey, as well as playing viola in the school symphony and being Harvard-Westlake's student ambassador.

Sometimes, it's a struggle finding enough time to fit everything in.

"It can get pretty tough at times, but it is during those times and how you handle those situations that you can make you into the person you want to become," he said. "I set pretty high goals for myself."