Tanner Ryals always thought football would be something he did to help him prepare for soccer.
Four years later, football will help him pay for his education.
On Friday, the New Hope High School senior kicker signed a scholarship to play football at Southwest Mississippi Community College.
“I wasn”t that good when I started,” Ryals said. “It was like you kind of hide yourself and say, ”I am not the kicker.” But it turned into you want to let everybody know it. I am not embarrassed about it anymore.”
Ryals, a four-year starter, emerged as a valuable weapon the past few seasons. He hit 6 of 9 field goals this season, including a long of 40 yards, and was 36 of 40 on extra points for 54 points.
His extra-point streak stretched to 59 this season before being snapped.
New Hope football coach Michael Bradley didn”t know Ryals when he came out for the football team in the spring of his eighth-grade year. He soon discovered Ryals, who started playing soccer when he was 6, was going to invest the time and effort needed to improve.
Ryals started and kicked extra points as a freshman and matured each season.
“He worked very hard over the next four years,” Bradley said. “He was very consistent and did a great job for us.”
Bradley said it is unusual for colleges to offer scholarships to kickers. He said the offer speaks volumes of what Ryals has accomplished and how much he has grown as a kicker.
“Tanner definitely has been a big part of our team and our special teams the past four years,” Bradley said.
Ryals said there isn”t much difference between kicking a football and a soccer ball. He said he came up with a technique that worked for him. He said it was “trial and error” until the end of his sophomore season and into his junior year when he felt things start to click.
“It was like we couldn”t do any wrong,” Ryals said referring to the streak that stretched into multiple seasons.
Ryals said kicking never was about earning a scholarship. He said he didn”t want to let his teammates down, which is why he practiced and honed his craft so he could deliver in key situations.
It wasn”t until this season that he realized he could earn a scholarship as a kicker. He said it was “weird” getting attention from colleges that were interested in having him be their kicker. Ryals visited the University of Chattanooga, Itawamba Community College, and East Mississippi C.C. He said Southwest Mississippi gave him the best offer and he knew it was the right opportunity, and one that could help him realize other chances.
“I just want to pick up where I left off and get better kicking of the ground,” said Ryals, who would like to go to Southern Miss, where his father, Gerald, went to school. “I didn”t realize at the beginning I would be able to get a scholarship. Four years ago, I didn”t think I was going to play my sophomore year. Once it started clicking, it came into sight.”
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 32 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.