Twyman Gets a Kick Out of Kicking All Season

Traditionally, a high school student can play either soccer or football, as long as the sports aren't played in the same season.

For Lincoln-Sudbury junior William Twyman this choice was not an issue.

"I always played soccer on the side," said Twyman. "Why not continue to play both if I could."

Along with playing defensive line and kicker for the Warriors football team in the fall, Twyman spends the spring playing midfielder and defense for FC Stars of Massachusetts. These offseasons spent on the pitch have only strengthened his performance on the gridiron.

Along with a 32-yard field goal against Tewksbury High, Twyman is 6 for 6 in extra point attempts.

"Kicking a football is like kicking a soccer ball," said Twyman. "Everything is the same — the set up, the planting of the foot and the swing."

Twyman picked up soccer before football. He started at the age of 6 and by the time he was 8 he was playing on a club level.

"My parents got me into it," said Twyman. "I played soccer my whole life."

It was in the eighth grade when he began playing football. Living in what he described as a "football family," Twyman felt a natural push toward the sport.

Within his first year, he was kicking field goals.

"(Football) worked out well for me," said Twyman. "My (first) football coach needed some kickers and I told him I played soccer."

Since high school football and soccer both play during the fall, Twyman was unable to play soccer for his high school team. While he plays in a tournament a couple weekends during the fall, he mostly plays during the spring for the Stars.

In his past two seasons playing soccer, the Stars made the state tournament.

"I do not play much soccer during the fall, but I have been playing so long that I do not really lose much skill," said Twyman. "I mainly just juggle once in a while and kick the ball around."

Practice during the fall is mostly spent on football. A first-year kicker on the varsity level, Twyman stayed after practice for the first three weeks to work with senior snapper Mark Vogel and junior holder Matt Cahill.

The practice has paid off for the trio, who have not botched a snap all season.

"Vogel is putting the ball on Cahill's hands every time," said Twyman. "With a bad snap it gives people time to get over the line and block it. They allow me to have a nice easy swing and not worry about where the ball is placed."

Conditions have not been perfect for the kicking team, which faced rainy weather against both Marshfield High and Wayland High. While both Twyman and Vogel recognized the effect rain has on the snap and hold, Twyman did not feel any difference kicking.

"Where I am kicking it on my foot does not really change with the rain," said Twyman.

"It is a lot harder to snap (in the rain), but luckily so far everything has gone well," added Vogel.

In his time working with Vogel, Twyman impressed the senior long snapper with his consistency kicking from over 50 yards. While Twyman has kicked only one field goal, Vogel expects the junior kicker to maintain his consistency as the season progresses.

"You do not see that often, especially in high school," said Vogel, about Twyman's consistency from 50 yards. "He is hitting them at the snap of a finger."

Head coach Thomas Lopez noticed Twyman's natural talent, but recognizes the need for constant improvement. While the junior's extra points have been perfect, Lopez is looking for longer kickoffs from his strong-legged kicker.

"He has practiced hard at it," said Lopez. "If he has a bad kick it's because of his technique, not because of his leg."

Twyman credits his leg strength to his experiences with soccer. While he is unsure what sports he favors, Twyman is convinced soccer has at least made him a better kicker.

"I give a lot of credit to soccer," said Twyman. "I owe it to soccer and I do not think there is anything that has been as much of a benefit for my kicking game as soccer. I like playing both of them so much."

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