Don’t Let Your Specialists Stand Alone

What Specialists Wish Coaches Knew

Friday night.

Fourth quarter.

Two seconds left.

The stadium watches as the Specs unit walk onto the field.

Every player on the sideline turns and looks in one direction.

Their direction.

In that moment, the entire game rests on the snap, the hold, and the leg of a player who may have only touched the ball a handful of times all night.

But here’s the part most people never think about.

Many high school specialists only get 10–15 minutes of meaningful work during practice.

Not because their role isn’t important.

But because practice is built around offense and defense.

So, most days look like this:

Kick a few field goals.
Take a few punts.
Snap a few reps.

Then step off to the side.

And wait.

Wait through offense and defense.
Wait through team periods.
Wait through most of practice.

For a lot of specialists, it can feel like living on the edge of the team instead of inside it.

But here’s the truth most specialists wish coaches knew.

They don’t want to just stand there.

They want to be part of the work.

The Hidden Reality of Specialists

Specialists understand their role.

They know they won’t take 40 snaps a game.
They know their moment might only come once.

But that doesn’t mean they want to spend the entire week disconnected from the team.

Most kickers, punters, and long snappers are athletes who simply found their role in special teams.

And many of them are looking for ways to contribute beyond their kicks or snaps.

They’ll snap toss balls for quarterbacks.
They’ll set hands in route periods for wideouts.
They’ll run in pursuit drills with the defense.

Teach them how to tackle properly and they’ll jump into those drills too.

Ask them to help in scout work and they’ll do it.

Because like every other player on the roster…

They want to belong.

And belonging matters more than people realize.

Football players trust the teammates they sweat with.

Not the ones they only see on game day.

A Simple Challenge for Coaches

Coaches, ask yourself three simple questions.

Do your specialists feel like football players, or just specialists?

Do they have a role during most of practice?

Do their teammates know them beyond their position?

Because sometimes the difference between a good specialist and a great one isn’t talent.

It’s connection.

When specialists are brought into the rhythm of practice even in small ways, they develop something powerful:

Confidence.
Ownership.
Trust from the locker room.

And when the fourth quarter arrives and the game comes down to a field goal, punt, or snap…

The team isn’t relying on someone who stood on the sideline all week.

They’re trusting a teammate who has been part of the work.

Specialists: Don’t Wait to Be Asked

Now this part is for the specialists reading this.

Sometimes coaches aren’t intentionally leaving you out.

They’re juggling installs, scout teams, offensive periods, defensive periods, and the thousand details that come with running practice.

So if you want to be more connected to the team…

Start the conversation.

Walk up to your coach and say something simple:

"Coach, when I'm not kicking or punting, I’d love to help somewhere. I don’t just want to stand and wait for my time to be called."

Ask if you can:

• Snap toss during quarterback drills
• Run rabbit in pursuit drills with the defense
• Shag balls during routes
• Jump into tackling drills to learn proper technique
• Hand Fight with Wideout in rout work

Those small things send a powerful message.

You care about the team, not just your position.

And coaches notice that.

The Moment Specialists Can Instantly Earn Respect

Every practice has one moment where specialists can separate themselves.

Conditioning.

You’re usually not in the trenches taking hit after hit during team periods.

So when the team lines up to run…

Be at the front of the pack.

Lead it.

Effort earns respect faster than talent ever will.

And teammates notice who shows up when it’s time to work.

Why This Matters

When the stadium erupts on Friday night…

The kicker walks onto the field.

The long snapper grips the ball.

The unit lines up with the rush coming.

Those moments happen in seconds.

But belief in those players is built long before the game ever starts.

It’s built during conditioning.

During pursuit drills.

During the small moments where specialists chose to become part of the team instead of standing apart from it.

Because when the moment finally arrives…

The team doesn’t just need the specs unit.

They need their teammates.

Final Word

The life of a specialist is different.

Most of the week you're preparing for a moment that might only last a few seconds.

But those seconds can decide the game.

And when that moment arrives, talent matters.

Preparation matters.

But belief from your teammates might matter most of all.

Because belief isn’t built on Friday nights.

It’s built on Tuesday afternoons.

And the specialists who understand that…

Don’t just wait for their moment.

They embrace the opportunity as part of the team long before it arrives.