Goalie Proia joins USF football as walk-on kicker

[USFishin]

Goalie Proia joins USF football as walk-on kicker

Freshman Renato Proia, one of the three soccer goalkeepers who worked out for USF coach Jim Leavitt last week, has joined the Bulls as a walk-on and will compete for kickoff duties.

"He's the one guy of the three that came out that has a chance," Leavitt said. "It doesn't look like he'll kick this year, but he's got a decent leg. He's been preparing for soccer all summer and hasn't done a lot of (football) kicking. But he's got a very strong leg and I could see him maybe helping us this year on kickoffs, maybe, if we could get that down."

Leavitt is seeking a kickoff specialist so senior Delbert Alvarado doesn't have to handle more than punting, field goals and extra points. Walk-on Eric Schwartz is another possibility on kickoffs, and Leavitt said the team continues to talk with other unsigned kickers about joining the program this fall. He's kept one scholarship available in case an elite kicker can be found.

Proia, from Cape Coral, was a football and soccer standout at Mariner High, averaging 46 yards per punt last fall and booming one punt 73 yards, according to the Cape Coral Daily Breeze. While he had 16 career shutouts at Mariner, he wasn't likely to contribute this fall to USF's soccer team, which returns starting goalkeeper Jeff Attinella and backup Brad Sienkiewicz, along with freshman Alex Spock.

Leavitt was impressed that Proia was in attendance for soccer's season-opening 4-1 exhibition win against Tampa on Monday night, then made it out for an early-morning football practice Tuesday.

http://blogs.tampabay.com/usf/2009/08/goalie-proia-joins-usf-football-as-walkon-kicker.html

[DELdaBull]

If he is on scholly with the soccer team doesn't that mean that schollie is now transferred to football?

[BULLfreak]

nope same as BJ and basketball he is a walk-on and doesnt count towards BBall

[DELdaBull]

That is because (if I understand correctly) football takes priority over all sports. i.e. If a athlete plays 2 sports football is the scholarship sport. If it is basketball and a non football sport bball foots the schollie bill. Just my understanding, but I have been known to be wrong every once in a while.

[Greg Auman]

He's a walk-on in soccer, so it doesn't matter if he plays football. Actually at USF on a Bright Futures scholarship ...

[DELdaBull]

Greg is always on top of things.

[Matt]

as greg said....only if the player is a scholarship player in another sport does he take a football scholarship (bear bryant rule)

hopefully he is a solid kicker.  i dont know a whole lot about soccer but goalkeepers usually have to have a strong leg to get the ball back up field.

[Mama_Bull]

He's a walk-on in soccer, so it doesn't matter if he plays football. Actually at USF on a Bright Futures scholarship ...

OK, that clarifies it, because the article at the link you provided earlier made mention of him being on scholarship in soccer:

[Greg Auman]

I checked with his high school coach -- they had a ceremony to honor his being given "preferred walk-on status," which is to say there is a roster spot promised, but no financial aid ...