For Parker Evans, good things come to those who wait. 

A soccer player for many years, the Cottonwood High senior was offered an opportunity to try a new sport this season on the football field after Ryan Nielson graduated. It’s one that Evans has accepted, said Jaxon Clark, his new kicking coach. 

“He came [to our camp in] late spring. I would say in May,” recalled Clark, himself a former college punter at Southern Oregon University. 

Since that point, both Clark and Cottonwood head boys soccer coach BryLee Harvest have stood by Evans to help him transition from soccer to American football. 

“Parker has been playing varsity [soccer] since his sophomore season and has consistently become better and better each season,” said coach Harvest, who noted that Evans led the Colts in assists last season. “In addition, I’ve been lucky enough to coach Parker for two club seasons with my La Roca 2007 Premier team, where we experienced multiple tournament championships, and a deep Utah State Cup run where we made the quarterfinals in 2022. Whether it was at Cottonwood or La Roca, I have been able to lean on him to put us in positions to make plays and win games.” 

But, Evans might arguably be having as much of an impact for his new team on the football field. 

In two of Cottonwood’s first five games of the 2024-25 football season, Evans’ field goals were the only points his 0-5 Colts have been able to put on the scoreboard: a 38-3 loss to Ogden Aug. 16 at home and a 41-3 home defeat to Mountain View Aug. 30. 

What’s also just as impressive is that the 5-foot-7-inch senior is playing his first American football, ever, according to Harvest. 

“It is his first season playing football and it is to no surprise that he has become a significant contributor for another coach and program here at our school,” said Harvest, who’s coached Evans for school and club. “Every coach and program needs a player like Parker Evans.

“He’s a great kid that is selfless and hates losing more than he loves winning. As the pressure rises, so does he,” Harvest continued. “One of my favorite memories of him was in our first-round playoff match at Sky View [this past May]. He played an instrumental part in that upset, contributing to each game-altering play. He scored the first goal, sent in the game-tying assist to force overtime. And, after the deadlock persisted after double OT, calmly slotted his penalty kick in the upper right corner during the shootout to help clinch the massive upset.” 

Despite having played no American football before, Evans is also leading Cottonwood’s football team in scoring, according to Greg Southwick, Cottonwood athletic director. 

“He’s doing a good job for them as our leading scorer and he’s got a good foot,” Southwick said.  

Having scored 13 points this fall, this is a big deal when you consider that kickers only get three total points for each field goal made, and one for each extra point in comparison to field players who receive six for each touchdown scored. 

That’s an impressive tally for someone who’s only playing on special teams. In five games played, Evans has connected on three field goals and is letter-perfect in his
extra points. 

The reason for that may also have to do with the tutelage and mentoring Evans has been getting from Jaxon Clark, who has humbly found ed Rogue Kicking in Utah to help local punters and kickers fine-tune their skills for college. 

Clark offers in-season group lessons for kickers and punters on Saturdays and Sundays at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. as well as private one-on-one lessons at Cottonwood High School, where he also serves as the Colts special teams coordinator. 

During the offseason, Rogue Kicking also offers classes and camps teaching punting, kicking and snapping Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m.

At present, Rogue Kicking has more than 30 Utah specialists on its roster of alumni, of which a half dozen are currently on college football rosters. More information can be seen at: www.roguekicking.com. λ