Springdale duo kicks it into gear with football team, band

By: Antonio Rossetti
Thursday, October 27, 2022 | 11:01 AM

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Springdale trailed Northgate, 37-13, in the fourth quarter after the Dynamos notched their second touchdown. The lead was more or less insurmountable, but Springdale was poised to make history.

Sophomore kicker Clare Schneider took the field underneath the Friday night lights to attempt the extra point. Schneider anxiously ran on the field. The ball was snapped. Owen Scheuring placed the hold, and Schneider drilled it through the uprights.

Schneider was overjoyed with the amount of support she received, but she didn’t realize until after the fact that she was the first female kicker to make an extra point for Springdale.

“It surprised me,” Schneider said. “It’s a good feeling, knowing that I did something that can change how people think.”

Sophomore kicker Noah Skaugen was proud of Schneider’s accomplishment.

“It’s really nice because she likes doing it,” Skaugen said. “Everybody was so happy for her. It’s like having a bunch of big brothers for us. I’m like one of the shortest guys on the team. And they’re all 6-foot, 6-2, so it’s really nice to be like being able to be part of something like that.”

Schneider played soccer in the past and always had an interest in kicking, but she didn’t have the opportunity to kick for the team. When the spot opened, Schneider jumped at the opportunity.

“I brought it up to (special teams coach Nick) Spehar, and I was like, ‘Would it be possible for me to try and be a kicker?’ And he was like, ‘Oh my gosh, yes. I’ll talk to the head coach, and we’ll go out and start kicking,’ ” Schneider said. “He and coach (Ryan) Tempalski were super supportive of everything. I was so nervous at first, but then talking to coach Temp, he said, ‘I want you on the team. I want you to do this.’ ”

Schneider is thrilled to be an inspiration to young girls who have the same dreams and aspirations.

“Someone that is friends with my mom was like, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s so cool you’re doing this. I’m going to go home and tell my daughter because she plays soccer, and she’s gonna think this is the coolest thing ever,’ ” Schneider said. “It’s just cool knowing that other girls see me and know that they can do this. It’s always an opportunity for them.”

Schneider wasn’t the only one who reached a milestone that day. Skaugen notched his first extra point earlier in the game. He and Schneider are both in the school’s marching band, and they made the decision to join the football team at band camp.

Skaugen also plays soccer and tennis for the Dynamos. The idea of him joining the football team started in gym class when the football players noticed he had a skill for kicking.

After class, Skaugen approached Spehar, also his gym teacher, and asked him what he thought about him joining the team.

“It started as a joke, like a, ‘Hey, that would be funny,’ and then he was like, ‘Yeah, that would be a good idea,’ so I went over the summer and kicked with him a little bit,” Skaugen said. “It ended up working out.”

Skaugen and Schneider play saxophone in the marching band. Before kicking their first extra points, they performed in the halftime show with the band.

Skaugen elaborated on how they are able to juggle football and band.

“I’ll give one of the guys on my team my helmet, and then they’ll take it back to the locker room,” Skaugen said. “(One of the freshmen) will bring down my instrument for me from the stands and get it from the trailer. He’ll give it to me, and I’ll go out and I’ll play in the show. And then I’ll go back and whenever we’re done with it, I’ll give it back to him.”

The two then go back to spent the rest of halftime with their teammates.

“It’s definitely a lot, but it’s not as much as I thought it would be,” Skaugen said. “Not having conflicting schedules was definitely lucky this year, but I don’t think it will be as hard next year to manage schedules since I’ll have a year to know what to expect.”

Skaugen is grateful for the support of his family, his brother, Wyatt, who introduced him to tennis, the team, his band director, Stephen Smietana, the band and all of his coaches. He also is thankful for Andrew and Matt Haus, former Springdale kickers and soccer players, as they both helped him kick and punt.

As for Schneider, she too is thankful for the team, Smietana, the band, the coaches and the cheerleaders for all their support every time she walks onto the field. Her family members have been her top supporters.

Said Schneider: “I was super anxious about starting it and worrying how other people are going to react, but they say, ‘Don’t worry about what other people think and just go out and do what you want.’ That’s been super helpful having everyone on my side.”

Skaugen and Schneider are also both grateful for each other.

“It’s definitely super helpful since we’ve been in band together this whole time, and we know each other,” Schneider said. “It’s definitely nice having a familiar face around, because like on the sideline, we usually talk to each other and are like, ‘Oh, how’s that kicker kicking and how can we improve?’

Added Skaugen: “It’s really nice not diving into something with just a bunch of new faces. Having someone that you already know is really nice. It made it a lot easier to acclimate.”

Schneider still can’t believe she is a kicker for the Dynamos.

“If I could tell myself from six years ago that I’d be playing football right now, I’d say you’re crazy. I’m not doing that,” Schneider said.

Tags: Springdale