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closeAsk Western Washington University kicker and punter Josh Lider what it's like to boot a game-winning field goal and he gives you a laundry list of the things he did wrong.
Ask him the same question a few days later, and the list of errors just gets longer. Film session can be a little rough when you're a perfectionist like Lider.
"Really you just have to have a short memory, " Lider said. "You just have to forget that kick and keep going. There were plenty of things for me to improve on. My punting wasn't where I wanted it to be. I missed a point-after touchdown so my angles weren't right. Once you start to think you've arrived then it's all downhill from there."
Despite what Lider might say, things are looking up for the Vikings kicker. He's made five out of his six field goal attempts this season and converted 12 of 14 extra points. As a punter, he's averaging 37.2 yards per punt and has had six punts fair caught.
It's not always pretty, but Lider is becoming the kind of dependable special teams player a successful team needs.
"As a kicker you're always looking at the real small things, the things that went wrong, " Lider said. "It might have gone through the uprights and looked good, but there is always something that didn't go right."
Not surprisingly, Lider's desire for the perfect kick or punt carries over to practice. If he's not going through his kicking motion on the sidelines, then he's pacing the track that rings the field simulating his footwork before a punt.
One of the reasons for Lider's attention to detail is that he and fellow kicker Ace Younggren compete weekly for the place-kicking duties.
"Really I think it's one of the coolest things, " Lider said. "We compete every week, and I know that any day if I'm not up for it he can take my spot. And he knows the same thing. We respect each other and we're always giving each other advice. It's a good friendship."
Handling both the place kicking and punting duties can also be a challenge. The kicking motions are different for each job and without the right focus, its easy for the different motions to mingle.
"There's a lot of things that can start to happen that aren't good, " Lider said. "When you're punting, your leg can come across your body like you're kicking and you can't do that. Then when you're kicking, your follow-through can change because you're doing it like a punt."
Lider, a junior, said it's taken nearly three years to learn how to punt and kick properly despite doing it in high school.
"It's taken quite a while, " Lider said. "Now I feel like I'm at a point where I'm fine-tuning, but I still have a lot to work on. I still feel like I can get better, which is a good thing because I'd be scared if I didn't think I could improve."
Reach Joe Sunnen at joe.sunnen@bellinghamherald.com or 756-2862.
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