MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The fog is still lifting off a deserted playing field on the outskirts of this southern Australian city as 10 aspiring college football punters begin their morning drills.
No one watches them practice on a chilly Melbourne day. Soon, they hope, almost all of them will be showing off their skills in front of crowds of more than 100,000 while punting at powerhouse college football programs 10,000 miles away.
Experienced Australian rules football players for many years have considered punting in the National Football League after their pro careers at home. Now more young Australians are training with the Prokick Australia academy with plans to bypass the Australian Football League entirely and go straight to the states for a college scholarship.