Column: My short stint as a punter

The summer before my sixth-grade year, I would grab my football and make the short walk from my house to Yellowstone School.

Sometimes, enough kids would gather, and we would have an impromptu game. We would have some of the best days trying to emulate the Air Force Academy wishbone offense. One time I managed to get a rare touchdown and ran right into a teether ball poll and it knocked me out cold. I still get teased about it to this day.

When nobody was around, I would spend an hour or two practicing punting. I was not blessed with much athletic prowess, but after a very up-and-down fifth-gr...