Semoball

Jackson FB coach provides literal and figurative support of newest SEMO kicker

Jackson High School senior kicker Logan Bruns (front, center) poses with family and the Indian coaches on Monday at Jackson High School upon signing to play football at Southeast Missouri State in the fall.
photo provided

As Jackson High School senior kicker Logan Bruns signed his National Letter of Intent on Monday to play football at Southeast Missouri State, his high school head coach, Brent Eckley, stood behind the young athlete literally.

It was a fitting scene because according to Bruns, Eckley had been behind his kicker – in support – figuratively, for years.

“Coach Eckley is a special guy,” Bruns said recently. “I feel like he saw my potential more than anyone else did, and he didn’t take it lightly. He pushed me and definitely grew my mental strength in my ability to handle adversity, both physically and mentally.”

Eckley utilized Bruns’ ability from a strategic sense over the past few years, particularly on kick-offs, which placed the Jackson defense (and eventually the Indian offense) in advantageous field positions.

“He really made it easy,” Eckley said following Bruns’ signing ceremony, “especially defensively. When you kick a touchback and the other team starts at the 20 (yard line), that is one of the worst spots to be to start a drive, especially on the road.”

Bruns’ consistency on extra points proved invaluable, as Jackson was one of the most prolific offenses in MSHSAA over recent seasons. However, his impact in helping the defense was often overlooked.

Eckley explained that it is more difficult to signal to an offense when they are downfield (on the 20-yard line) as opposed to at mid-field, directly in front of the coaches.

Bruns spoke on how Eckley helped him grow from being a soccer player into a confident kicker, who had to perform in the biggest games in the state.

“Coach Eckley did a good job of increasing my confidence and physical ability,” Bruns said. “He has definitely prepared me, not just in football, but also in baseball, in school, and life, in general, on how to handle adversity.

“He is a very wise (coach). He is very experienced in coaching football, coaching young men, and making them into young men. He definitely knows the psychological side of dealing with teenagers and building them up.”

On Monday, Eckley was in attendance for the signings of Bruns, as well as his long-snapper, Nicholas McClard, who committed to Missouri S&T.

Eckley was beaming with pride following both ceremonies and spoke about Bruns’ commitment to the Redhawks.

“I’m really happy for him and proud of him,” Eckley said. “He has put in a lot of work, and it is a great day for him, his family, and our whole program.”

Bruns continues to hone his craft even in the dead of winter. He is in the weight room religiously in preparation for not just SEMO football, but also Jackson baseball this spring (he is a pitcher and an outfielder).

He travels to Webster Groves each weekend for training sessions in an indoor facility.

“It’s a lot of drills to get the muscle memory down,” Bruns explained. “There is a lot of little (details) that you have to perfect to be able to be consistent in games.”

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