Player trades soccer for football

Senior year of high school is full of big decisions and this fall Derek Minemyer added an additional one to his list – to play soccer or football – with the pigskin being his ultimate choice.

Minemyer, who was a standout on the Bigfork High School boys soccer team his first three years at the school, had been thinking about trying to get back into football the past couple of years after being out of the game since middle school.

His dad, Dennis, mentioned the idea to his trainer at the Montana Athletic Club, Saia Misa, who has helped coach the Vikings the last two seasons. Misa had heard from some of the members of the football team that Minemyer had a good leg and that they thought he would be a good kicker for them.

Misa played several different positions on his high school football team, including kicker, and went on to play football at Boise State University and then for the Seattle Seahawks.

"I know a guy with a good leg when I see it," Misa said. "Derek has a good leg and good speed. I told him that his leg could take him far if he wanted to kick, a lot farther than soccer. He can probably get a scholarship to kick in college. That's a lot more likely than getting one to play soccer."

One day this summer while working out with the younger Minemyer, Misa asked him if the rumors were true about him being interested in playing football. When Minemyer confirmed that they were Misa presented him with an opportunity to work together on strengthening his leg and learning the techniques of kicking and punting a football.

"A lot of people just kick to kick, but kicking is an art," Misa said. "What's great about Derek is that I was able to help him with kick placements. A good kicker, when he has control of the his kick, can do anything."

Minemyer jumped at the chance to work with Misa and began training with him right away, as well as attending the Vikings football team seven-on-seven throwing and receiving clinics over the summer.

"It's a lot different than kicking a soccer ball," Minemyer said of his new position. "When you're shooting at a goal, you want to keep the ball flat. In football, you have to get under the ball to put it up in the air. The basic idea is still the same with kicking the ball, but overall it is much different."

One of the other key differences Minemyer faced on the football field was having to kick under pressure and in a much lonelier position, but he didn't get rattled.

"I didn't really feel pressured because I knew I could make them," Minemyer said. "But there was sort of the thing in my head that if I missed, it would be a detriment to the team. Most of the time I was pretty confident, though."

Misa agreed that Minemyer had a solid first season.

"For a kid that just started kicking, I think he handled himself pretty well," Misa said. "Once he gets 100 percent confident in his kicking he's going to be doing really well."

But Misa said he was impressed by Minemyer from the very beginning.

"When I saw him kick, I saw the talent," Misa said. "He just had to work on it and be disciplined."

Initially, it was Minemyer's plan to play both soccer and football this fall, but the logistics got to be too much and he felt it was important to just choose one or the other.

"I wanted to play skill positions on both teams so I would have had to go to both practices for both teams," Minemyer said. "It just would've been a lot."

Misa saw the struggle Minemyer was having with his situation and gave him some advice similar to that of which a high school coach had once given him.

"He was under a lot of pressure," Misa said. "I told him to go home and think about it. I said, 'Don't let anyone pressure you. Not me, your coaches or your dad. No one makes the decision for you. You are the one playing. You have to live with your decision.'"

The choice wasn't easy, though, as Minemyer started playing soccer at a very young age, following in the footsteps of his older brother and sister.

When he was younger, he was able to play both sports being on the spring soccer team and taking on football in the fall. However, he had to make a choice his freshman year, and at the time it was soccer that won out for him.

"When I got to high school, I stuck with soccer because it was the sport I was best at," Minemyer said.

Minemyer helped lead last year's Vikings soccer team to the playoffs, but this year he watched from the sidelines and sometimes their bench.

"It was tough not being with all those guys because they're some of my best friends and I have a blast with them," Minemyer said of his former soccer teammates. "But I wanted to switch it up and try football. I have some really good friendships on that team as well."

Ultimately, Minemyer feels he made the right decision about what to do with his final high school fall sports season.

"I am happy with the choice I made," he said. "I had a lot of fun playing with those football guys and coach (Todd) Emslie was great. He is very understanding and inspirational. He is a fun coach to be around and to be coached by."

Football has been a learning experience for Minemyer, and it may even open a few doors for the rookie, varsity senior, who was one of four captains of this year's football team.

"I told him he has the qualities to kick in college," Misa said. "I told him I'd help him get ready and make a few phone calls for him to some college coaching contacts I have. He still needs more work, but he can kick just as well as those guys do in college. He just has to want to."

Minemyer has committed to working with Misa this summer to get ready to try out for a college team, preferably the University of Montana Grizzlies. He has already been accepted to the school and plans to attend next fall to major in literature and minor in Spanish.

"I've watched the Griz ever since I could see and I've always been a fan," Minemyer said. "I think it would be so amazing to be part of that team. I just never thought I had the skill to do it, but now that I am kicking on working on those skills, I have an opportunity to play for them and I intend to try to."

In addition to kicking and punting, Minemyer was also a receiver for the Vikings and he played on defense.

Whether or not he gets noticed in Missoula, Minemyer made his mark in Bigfork this year by helping his team in clutch moments and scoring 36 points, including a touchdown in their game against Conrad.

"It felt good," Minemyer said of his touchdown. "I had wanted to know what it was like (to score a touchdown in high school) because I had only scored once in my middle school career. Christian (Ker) threw a great pass. It was just right there. I didn't really have to do anything. I just jogged into the end zone."

Minemyer got to be a part of the Vikings first win and winning season after the three year drought.

"It was awesome when we won that first game," Minemyer said. "I wasn't as emotional as Brandon (McDonald) and Kenny (Patrick) who played all three years without the varsity winning. They worked so hard for that win and they really deserved it."

Although the season may not have been as emotional for Minemyer as it was for some of his teammates, his progress was just as monumental. His longest field goal attempt this season was 45 yards and his longest kickoff was 65 yards. He made 18 of his 23 extra-point attempts this season. He kicked four successful field goals including his longest of 37 yards. Minemyer had the third most receiving yards on the team with 110 yards off of seven catches.

Monday he found out he was named second team All-Conference kicker and first team All-Conference punter.

Misa was especially happy with Minemyer's punts this season.

"A lot of times people that kick soccer style don't punt very well, but even that he became really good at," he said. "I like the way he punts it way up in the air. That hang time is very important."

With the football season over, Minemyer will have to make sure that he keeps his goals for next year on track.

"This football season has taught him a lot," Misa said. "Now he knows what he needs to do. If he wants to continue to play, he's going to have to really focus and work hard. He has to have a good attitude and really be dedicated. But I think he will do well. He has to keep his head in it."

With the support Minemyer has from Misa and his dad, a man he truly admires, staying focused shouldn't be too hard.

"My dad devoted 18 years of his life to ensuring that I have the best upbringing possible and no one could ask for a better dad," he said. "He is the backbone in my life. He also helped me along with my ultimate decision to play football full-time and I'm grateful for that."