Witczak Has Leg Up On The Competition
Published on March 8, 2008 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Arizona Rattlers News Release
Jason Witczak has made a living making a ball go as far and as straight as humanly possible. Granted, he might be using two completely different balls at times, but the goal is that same. Whether it is making game winning kicks in the AFL or crushing golf balls off a tee, Jason Witczak knows his focus on the little things will pay big dividends.
So what has had the biggest impact on Witczak's ability to excel in two professional sports careers this year? Simple, living at home. Witczak says that living at home this season has relieved much of the stress he has felt in years past. "The stress of traveling and sleeping in different beds starts to wear on you, being at home helps me to stay focused and gives me a calmness that I didn't have the past two seasons," says Witczak. Something as simple as being able to keep his yard green for the first time in the past five years is something for which Jason is thankful.
Being at home also affords him the opportunity to continue his work as a PGA instructor at J.W. Marriot Wildfire. According to Witczak, in the past, it was necessary to put his golf career on hold while playing for the Nashville Kats, but living at home this year has been a blessing.
That calmness and focus has undoubtedly produced results for Jason. Although the games could not be any more different, Jason sees his role in both as very similar. "I have a strict routine that I adhere to on the football field and the golf course, I treat it like a ritual and it is sacred to me...I know it sounds kind of funny but I truly believe in my routine...I don't feel pressure because pressure is only something you feel when you don't know what you are doing," says Witczak. He attributes his success to his preparation and routine on the football field and the golf course, which are almost clinical in nature.
One place Jason will admit to feeling a little pressure is competing in the REMAX World Long Drive Championships in the last two years. "Its kind of like football, you are a rookie so you don't really know what to expect," admitted Witczak. However, you would never know it, this past year he finished 13th in the world and hit the second longest drive in competition at 404 yards.
When asked about the size of the field goals in the AFL Witczak says that he gets that question all the time but dismissed them as not being as big an issue as many would think. "Every ball I kick is just like hitting a fairway, you have to hit it down the middle and most of my kicks are pretty darned straight," says Witczak. Kicking in the AFL is more than just kicking field goals or crushing kick offs. Witczak would like to think other coaches fear him because he can do so many things on the field and takes particular pride in the "arsenal" of tricks he has in his bag.
As a veteran, Witczak says he can now start to appreciate football and sees camaraderie as one of the most important aspects about playing. "As much as I would like to be running side by side with Siaha scoring touchdowns, I just cannot do that anymore," says Witczak. What Jason thrives on now is the ability to be the one to score that game winning field goal when the game is tied late in the fourth quarter.
Finally, to the question that is on everyone's mind: If you had to choose, would it be football or golf? His answer? Hockey. No pressure at all.
The 2008 Arizona Rattlers have guaranteed their season ticket holders a trip to the playoffs. Season tickets, group tickets and premium single game tickets can be purchased by calling the Rattlers ticket hotline at 602-514-TDTD. Single game tickets are now on sale at the USAirways box office and all Ticketmaster locations. More information is available at www.azrattlers.com.
Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from March 8, 2008
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