Some people train their whole lives for a D1 opportunity. Pleasant Valley senior Austin Bullock may accomplish it in only two years.
Bullock began playing football at age 5, starting off as a running back and eventually became a fullback by his sophomore year. Wanting to stay injury free, Bullock made the move to special teams before his junior season. “I really liked playing running back, but it was a very injury prone position,” he commented. At the kicker and punter position, Bullock did more than just avoid injury: he thrived.
Bullock credits his brother for his success so far. “I always wanted to be better than him at something. We played soccer together all the time which is how I stemmed into kicking in the first place. It was my drive to be better than him at something,” he commented.
His talent at the kicking position has attracted national attention, with Bullock participating in multiple kicker camps from coast to coast. Bullock is currently a five star recruit and ranked in the top 35 of his class. He has consistently hit 55+ yard field goals at these camps and even nailed a 67 yard attempt.
What makes Bullock’s journey extra special is his self-advocacy. “We don’t have a kicking or punting coach, so in a lot of ways Austin is his own coach,” said Pleasant Valley football coach Joe Youngbauer. Bullock is constantly honing in and practicing his kicking techniques independently during practice.
“He loves football, he enjoys it, and he just loves being at practice and being part of all that football is,” said Youngbauer.
A star on and off the field, Bullock takes pride in his academics and looks forward to college. “I see myself playing football in college but not after college. I really want to get a degree in orthopedics or sports marketing,” he shared. Boasting a 4.0+ GPA, Bullock takes his education as seriously as his kicking.
Bullock’s devotion to his craft has not gone unnoticed. “At practice he is a serious kid and takes his tasks and role on the team very seriously and wants to do well,” stated Youngbauer.
Although he is looking ahead to college, Bullock’s primary focus is the rest of his senior season. “I’m hoping for more field goal chances. I really want to finish the season strong and we have a couple hard games on the schedule that we need to push through,” he said.
“We have some good players playing at the collegiate level across the country, and I hope Austin is in that next line,” said Youngbauer.
When it comes to game time, Bullock also shines through his punting abilities. “He is able to make the other team have to go the furthest distance for them to have a chance at points,” shared Youngbauer. Winning field position through Bullock’s punts have been crucial to the success of PV this year.
Bullock’s legacy that he hopes to leave is clear: “I want kids to want to get into kicking in the first place.”
Bradyn Fairman • Oct 8, 2023 at 10:36 pm
Really cool to see Austin be his own coach and self advocate to achieve his dreams