Gryphons star kicking his way to the CFL

Written by Justin Dunk 

“I really like kicking, as goofy as that sounds. I just really want to play in the CFL.” – Gryphons kicker Rob Maver on his professional aspirations.

For those of you who don’t know – and most of you probably don’t – one of the top kickers in Canada has played for the Gryphons football team for the past four years.

Kickers are often forgotten, and do not attract much attention. They are often stereotyped as not being ‘real’ football players. All they do is kick a ball, right?

But, kicking a ball has been the focus of Rob Maver’s athletic career, and it just happens to be a critical aspect in the kind of three-down football played in Canada.

A kicker can have a huge impact on a football game, which may go unnoticed to the casual fan. A top-flight kicker can change field position, pin opponents deep in their own end of the field, and put valuable points on the scoreboard when offensive drives stall. These are just a few of the reasons why many Canadian Football League coaches and scouts are salivating at the thought of adding Maver to their special teams unit.

Yes, we are talking about a kicker; the same guy who stands alone on the sidelines during a game, barely breaking a sweat, only running on the field to kick the ball before returning to the sideline.

Regardless of all the stereotypes about kickers, they do have an impact on the final score of a game. Maver works tirelessly on his kicking skills, similarly to any other player on the team, and has seen his skills improve over his time at Guelph.

“One of the things that I feel was key to my success here at Guelph was having a coach (Kyle Walters) that was so mindful of special teams,” said Maver, about the positive impact of former Gryphons head coach and current Winnipeg Blue Bombers special teams coordinator Kyle Walters.

Maver has had a stellar career with the Gryphons, hitting 57 of 74 field goal attempts, accounting for a Gryphons record 290 points scored, along with an impressive career punting average of 41.8 yards.

He has continually thrived in all aspects of the kicking game and hopes to continue his success at the professional level.

Maver has been working hard to ensure that his CFL dreams come true. In preparation for the CFL’s Evaluation camp, which took place in Toronto from Mar. 12-14, Maver spent a week in Bradenton, FL with former NFL kicker Steve Christie, and another week in Phoenix, AZ with American coaches, working on perfecting his craft.

A chance to kick and play in the CFL would be a dream come true.

“I really like kicking, as goofy as that sounds,” he said. “I just really want to play in the CFL.”

Maver is currently ranked as the nation’s seventh-best draft-eligible prospect by the CFL scouting bureau heading into the 2010 draft on May 2, and was the only kicker invited to the E-Camp.

In front of CFL scouts, Maver lived up to his reputation, hitting on 18 of 20 field goal attempts.

“ I was a little nervous the day before [the E-Camp], but as soon as I got on the field, I become really calm and it felt pretty good,” he said.

If the rankings hold true, Maver could join former Concordia kicker Warren Kean as the only kickers to be chosen in the first round of the CFL draft in the past decade. Maver is well aware that he must continue to improve his game in order to excel in the pro game.

“At the next level, [CFL teams] are expecting every kick to be made,” said Maver. “When you are on the field, it is your job to make the kick.”

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