Hart High School senior Aaron Rodriguez announced his commitment to take his kicking talents to the University of Missouri Sunday morning via Twitter.

Originally a soccer player, over his high school career Rodriguez proved to be a multi-sport athlete, playing volleyball, soccer and football at Hart.

“My recruiting process has been a long road for me and family. Going to kicking camps trying to get ranked, be the best player, and just put my name out there,” said Rodriguez. “My brother is my role model and we stuck together through the whole process, we emailed coaches every week trying to find someone to take a chance on me.”

Rodriguez’s grandfather saw his grandson score a goal during a soccer game from well past mid-field in eighth grade, which inspired him to encourage Rodriguez to pursue kicking and punting for the high school football team.

Momma We Made It #ShowMe #PuntersArePeopleToo pic.twitter.com/1RnUnvahEz

— Aaron Rodriguez (@Rod_Aaron18) March 10, 2019

By sophomore year, Hart Football Head Coach Mike Herrington gave Rodriguez the opportunity to play for the varsity team.

Rodriguez attended multiple top-tier kicking schools throughout the offseasons of his high school career, including Kicking World, Chris Sailer Kicking and Kohl’s Kicking.

“Aaron is a fantastic high school punting prospect. A great-looking athlete with a live leg. He has a great frame for a college-level punter. He averages 40-plus yards with 4.5-plus hang time with consistency,” said Kicking Coach Chris Sailer.

Rodriguez ultimately had several options but went with Missouri, relishing the opportunity to play in one of college football’s most competitive conferences, the Southeastern Conference (SEC).

“When it all boiled down to it I was like ‘the SEC, that’s insane!’ It’s a huge opportunity and I’m ready for it,” said Rodriguez. “I’ve been training and practicing for the last 4 years of my life for this. I’m ready to take on the challenge.”

In his announcement, Rodriguez thanked the coaches and academies he has worked with, as well as his family for their unwavering support of his passion.

While Rodriguez considered all his options, ultimately his official visit to Missouri sealed the deal.

“When people say they find the school for them it just feels right, right when they get there, and I started getting that feeling,” said Rodriguez. “I could picture myself on campus, hanging out with friends in the dorms, going to practice and just the whole college experience.”

To this point in his career, Rodriguez has already accumulated a number of accolades from his performance both in kicking camps and in games for Hart High School. Most recently he was named the 2018 All-CIF Southern Section Punter.

In his senior season, Rodriguez averaged 38 yards per punt with a season-long of 40 yards, according to MaxPreps.

Rodriguez hopes to study sports psychology while in college, as he hopes to be able to stay involved in sports after his playing career, particularly with helping athletes perform through adversity.

“I am truly grateful and thankful for everybody that has pushed me to this point, it’s been a long road and people have made sacrifices for me,” said Rodriguez. “So thank you to everyone involved – my school, my town, and my teammates, family and coaches.”

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