Dean Faithful went from playing football around the world to becoming a professional American football kicker in his mid-30s.
In this episode, we talk about his journey from soccer to American football, learning to kick during lockdown, getting a scholarship in the US, being drafted into the CFL, and hitting a game-winning kick in front of 35,000 fans.
We also get into the mindset behind late-career reinvention, transferable skills, kicking mechanics, resilience, self-employment, and why getting really good at your craft still matters more than chasing shortcuts.
0:00 Life in Colorado, the UK, and starting over
18:00 How Dean accidentally became an American football kicker
22:30 Learning to kick from YouTube during lockdown
28:00 Losing his scholarship and rebuilding through Twitter
33:00 The difference between kicking a soccer ball and American football
39:00 Why live kicking changes everything
45:00 Athleticism, size, strength, and the kicker stereotype
52:00 Building Game Day Kicking
57:00 Getting drafted into the CFL
1:05:00 The game-winning kick against Calgary
1:13:00 Life after Canada and building the next chapter
1:20:00 Coaching kickers and doing things the right way
Dean Faithful:
Instagram: @dean.faithful
Website: gamedaykicking.com
Email: dean@gamedaykicking.com
