By Joey White for WVMetroNews.com
BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. – Boasting a brain as powerful as his leg, Bridgeport punter/kicker Koby Kiefer decided to put both to the test, now looking ahead to his future at Cornell University.
After garnering attention and interest from schools such as Maryland and Penn State, Kiefer fell in love with Cornell on his official visit to the small school in Ithaca, N.Y.
“From the facilities, to the coaching staff, to the players, it’s all around just amazing,” said Kiefer. “I’m truly blessed to say that I’m committed to Cornell, and it’s going to be a great fit.”
Before getting into kicking himself, Koby’s older brother Kash Kiefer was the leg in the family. Kash played three seasons at the University of Maine from 2006-2008, averaging 41.5 yards per punt his senior year.
After attempts at playing positions on the offensive and defensive side, Koby decided to follow in his brother’s footsteps and see if kicking ran in the family.
“Going into my freshman year I tried out kicking, and from there on I loved it,” said Kiefer. I started going to camps and developed my game, and from then on, I really thought I could take it to the next level.
Kiefer made a name for himself playing for the Class AA powerhouse Bridgeport Indians. After capturing a pair of state titles his freshman and sophomore seasons, the Indians finished his senior season with an 11-2 record, losing to Bluefield in the Class AA semifinals.
“My class had a great career,” said Kiefer. “We pulled out with a couple state championships, and it was all a team effort. Everyone put it together, and we were fortunate to have the career that we did.”
With his sights set on the next level, the Bridgeport standout will focus on pinning opposing offenses deep for Cornell next season.
“I’ll be punting while I’m there,” said Kiefer. “I’ll still be working on my kicking while I’m there, but my main focus is punting.”
Kiefer showed this past season exactly what the Bears signed up for, averaging 42.5 yards per punt on 27 attempts, including a career-long 55-yard boot earlier this fall.
The playing field isn’t the only place that Kiefer kicks down the competition. The honors student also boasts a 3.94 GPA, making the opportunity to play football while getting an Ivy League education a near no-brainer.
Kiefer plans to study communications with a focus on media at Cornell, in hopes of someday working for Google or another prominent social media outlet.
“It’s truly a great opportunity,” said Kiefer. “To be able to go to one of the most prestigious universities, not only across the country but in the world, it’s truly a blessing to be surrounded by really bright individuals.”
In the meantime, Kiefer plans to spend the winter hitting the weight room and the books as hard as he can, preparing to graduate in the spring and begin his next chapter in upstate New York.
“My dad owns a batting cage for baseball, so I go in and hit balls in there,” Kiefer said lamenting the winter weather. “Whenever I get a decent day, I go and hit balls outside, hit up the gym every day, and just keep at it.”