From the Popham Family: Thanks to all for your support, prayers, calls to college coaches in support of Shane especially from teams we played aganist, calls to Shane, and well wishes. Our hope is that Shane will represent all of you in the highest standards with his deeds in the classroom and the gridiron at Wake. I hope that Shane was able to add to the excitement of competive high school football in Kentucky and Ohio this past season and will continue to be friends with those he played with and aganist. It is truely a game we all love to watch. The only let down was the lack of interest and attitude from local D1 colleges. Thanks GP

gpopham,

 

How did the process with Wake get started? Did you guys contact them, or did they find you? Just curious about the timing of these things.

Shane contacted Wake in June of 06 with video & stats. Shane & I did a road trip of 13 schools in 7 days, meeting with coaches and school officials. There were several schools that we really liked from the tour. I know when we left Wake that Wake was for him. The atmosphere was great. Shane was persistent with the coaches even though at that time it was a one sided interest. Wake really was not interested in a kicker since they have a great kicker in Sam Swank. who will be a junior. As the high school season progressed and Shane got a chance to show what he could do, interest began to mount. Shane continued to e-mail the coaches weekly with his stats and they stayed in touch somewhat.

So to answer your question, Shane got the ball rolling and stayed with it until Coach Mitchell from Wake watched Shane's highlight tape. Shane and his brother Greg get the credit, with help from Coach Rodenberg, Coach Ray & Mrs. Ray (one of Shane's biggest fans). Many people told us early on it is a nightmare for kickers, they are right. I was impressed with the truthfulness & honestly of a lot of programs and was upset with the tactics of some and the lack of interest to keep local kids in the area to play.

Thanks for sharing that Pop. Let this be a how to for all kickers in the future. You have to sell yourself. Good work and good luck!

Fantastic news. An unparallelled education as well.

Outstanding!!! Congrats to Shane and the Popham family. Canstop85 post says it all. "To think we could have signed that Popham kid". I just wonder how many local D1 schools will be kicking themselves.

Congrats! Wake is doing a nice job recruiting the state of Ky. With 2 other Ky boys there presently and the running back from ballard hs in Louisville leaving last year ! Best wishes and do yourself proud!

I just wonder how many local D1 schools will be kicking themselves.

 

 

I still can't believe Cincy passed on him. He is right in their back yard. But I guess it just shows you that the kicker position is one of "do we need to scholly a guy now or later." Ky had 3 kickers to D-1 colleges next year.

 

Kid from Boling Green to WKU

Kid from Trinity to UK

PoP to Wake

 

Thats a lot of kickers in one state to D-1

Congrads Shane. I knew you were going D-1 sooner or later.

congrats shane

Blurb from the Courier-Journal:

 

Wake Forest gets Popham

 

Wake Forest has had good luck with players from Kentucky in recent years as former Male High star Chris Barclay finished as the school's all-time leading rusher and Pulaski Southwestern lineman Arby Jones was a three-year starter.

 

Now the Demon Deacons have plucked another standout from Kentucky.

 

Covington Catholic kicker Shane Popham has committed to Wake Forest as a guaranteed walk-on and expects to redshirt one season before earning a scholarship.

 

"The coaches said as long as I progressed and showed my ability, a scholarship should open up to me," Popham told The Cincinnati Enquirer.

 

Popham, the first-team Courier-Journal All-State kicker, set a state record with 18 field goals as a senior, including three longer than 50 yards. He nailed a school-record 57-yarder and was the MaxPreps.com national Special Teams Player of the Year.