VALLEY / VENTURA COUNTY SPORTS : Big Foot : Drew Thomas Gives Westlake High Another Weapon With His Long Kicks

Anyone need a window broken or a screen door dented?

Then Drew Thomas is your one-man wrecking crew.

Growing up in Johnson City, Tenn., Thomas had a knack for damaging things around the house. He was a human tornado with a soccer ball.

Windows in the basement, windows in the garage, a screen door in the back porch--none were spared from Thomas’ kicks.

“I broke a lot of things,” Thomas said proudly.

To protect the windows, Thomas’ mother, Sally, had shatter-proof Plexiglas installed.

“The only time we got mad was [when] we had just fixed the screen door, and poof,” Sally said.

Thomas eventually switched from playing soccer to football, but that did not diminish the power emanating from his right leg.

As a junior at Westlake High, he made seven of 12 field goals, with a long of 48 yards, and 32 of 33 extra points. His kickoffs routinely went into the end zone, leaving frustrated opponents starting at the 20-yard line.

Since January, he has been training furiously under assistant coach Erik Affholter, a former Oak Park and USC kicker who once held the high school national record for longest field goal at 64 yards.

“They won’t see another one like him any time soon,” Affholter said of Thomas. “He’s in a special category for high school players.”

Accuracy, distance, power--Thomas has it all. At 6 feet 3 and 200 pounds, he’s athletic and built like a linebacker.

His parents attended Virginia Tech, with his mother competing in swimming and diving. Thomas was encouraged to participate in sports as a youth, but he struggled.

“When he was 6 or 7, he was so awkward playing sports,” Sally said. “I thought I should take him off the [basketball] team to save the agony. I didn’t.”

Thomas was tall and thin in grade school, then began to fill out. He moved to the Conejo Valley to live with his father before his freshman year. Football replaced soccer as his love, and kicking became his specialty.

“The first thing that stands out is his size,” Affholter said. “The second is he’s an excellent athlete. He’s one of the 15 fastest players on the team. He’s one guy who’s never satisfied.

“His leg strength is amazing. He can kick a legitimate 60-yard field goal. He’s not a flake, but he’s still got a little kicker in him.”

Said Thomas: “During practice, I don’t really associate with a lot of teammates. I just go off in my little corner and kick. You’re not thought of a lot, but you can help your team. I can win games for my team. I like that.”

Few football players face more pressure than kickers. In the blink of an eye, they can be heroes or goats. It takes focus, self-confidence and fortitude to excel.

“I just really concentrate on what I’m supposed to be doing and put everything else in the back of my mind,” Thomas said. “I like the pressure because I think I feed off it. I learned to keep my mind on what I’m doing and if you keep practicing, it will all come together.”

Thomas’ mother doesn’t panic during the fall when her phone rings at 2 a.m. on Saturdays in Tennessee. Drew has been known to call her with news of a long field goal.

After Thomas made his 48-yarder last season, Sally got a early-morning call. She decided it was better for her health than being at the game.

“I probably would have had a heart attack,” she said. “He really can kick, can’t he? I’m thrilled. It’s so exciting.”

Thomas has taken the initial step in what he considers a long-term kicking plan.

“I want to go on to the next level and maybe the next level after that,” he said.

SNEAK PEEK

Last in a nine-part series. Today: Kickers. Drew Thomas of Westlake

Aug. 25: Quarterbacks. Fabulous Foursome

Aug. 26: Running backs. Manuel White of Valencia

Aug. 27: Offensive linemen. Steve Nevarez of San Fernando

Aug. 28: Wide receivers. Keary Colbert of Hueneme

Aug. 29: Will Svitek of Newbury Park

Wednesday: Defensive linemen. Travis Johnson of Notre Dame

Wednesday: Linebackers. Patrick Norton of Hart

Thursday: Defensive linemen. Travis Johnson of Notre Dame

Friday:: Defensive backs. Michael Washington of Paraclete

Kickers. Drew Thomas of Westlake