Testimonials

Coach Rafter is where it all started. My senior year in high school I decided to kick for the football team. I was not quite sure about the decision until my head coach told me there was a pro kicking coach who wanted to work with me. This immediately got me interested. I had never kicked a ball in my life until about May going into my senior year of high school, with Coach Rafter. He literally taught me everything from basic technique to the proper kicker mentality… Things that I still use everyday on the field. He has been the one and only kicking consultant I have ever worked with and I firmly believe that directly reflects my success thus far. His passion for kicking, sports, and competition in general is extraordinary and it really provides for easy learning and extremely fun training sessions. Not only did Coach Rafter’s coaching help me get exposed but his highlight film he created was outstanding. I heard from numerous D1 coaches that it was the best kicker recruiting film they had ever received. At the level I am at now, I still keep in touch with Coach Rafter and even send him occasional film for analysis and feedback. Jimmy is an unbelievable coach, and even better friend and without the abundance of time and effort he devoted to me I would not be where I am today.

Sam Martin, Buffalo Bills Punter # 8 (Previously Denver Broncos 20/21, Detroit Lions 13/14/15/16/17/18/19)

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Dear Jimmy, (from Sam's Parents)

Debbie and I want you to know how much we appreciate all your excellent work in training Sam and what you have accomplished with him in a very short time. Your knowledge and coaching skills are a positive influence on Sam, both on and off the field. Your training is what bolted Sam to the position he is in now and to have the luxury of signing with a National College Football program at Appalachian State University. The scouting film that was produced by Rafter Productions generated calls from Appalachian State, UGA, Michigan, Arkansas, Kentucky and Auburn, with UGA fighting to get Sam to camp as a Preferred walk-on down to the last minute on signing day, February 6th. College recruiting coaches have relayed to us that it is by far the best kicker film they have ever seen. We are extremely grateful for all your efforts and thankful that Sam had the good fortune of crossing paths in life with you when he did. My wife and I will be the first in line to recommend you as a football kicking coach and trainer. Please feel free to use this letter as a testimonial to your outstanding work and dedication in the game of football. Sincerely,

Tom and Debbie Martin

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Coach Rafter is a miracle worker. My son, who handles all of the kicking duties for his high school varsity football team, has worked with him over the past two years. We live in Pennsylvania so it's not exactly a short trip to California but it has been worth the flight delays, airport food, time zone changes and traffic jams SoCal is famous for, to have him train with Coach Rafter.

Sean was coming back from a serious injury suffered during his junior season and was struggling to get his mechanics back to where they were pre-injury. No matter what he tried, he just couldn't figure out what was wrong with his kicking motion. He'd lost distance and accuracy in all aspects of his kicking game, not from a lack of strength but primarily due to lack of knowledge in not knowing where his technique was off. I'm not a special teams coach and offered little help is fixing the problem.

When we first took Sean to SoCal to spend time with Coach Rafter, it was his first formal interaction with anyone who actually knew how to kick and was qualified to help up and coming players hone their skills. After spending just three days with Coach Jimmy, Sean's punts, kickoffs and field goals were longer, straighter and far more accurate than they had ever been during his career. He was on his way to his most successful season ever and was named a "Player-to-Watch" by the local newspaper, then he was injured during the third game of the season.

Upon being cleared to resume physical activity, his mechanics had suffered quite a bit. That's why we made the decision to fly to California and have Coach Jimmy help Sean get back on track. Again, after just one day, the improvement was dramatic. Coach Rafter employed the use of stop action and split screen videos to help my son see exactly what he needed to do to correct the issues he was having with his mechanics. His distance and accuracy improved after spending just a few hours with Coach Jimmy and to see my son's level of confidence noticeably improve as a result of impact the training had on his kicking was a wonderful thing.

Our trip culminated with a one-day session with Sam Martin, kicker for the NFL's Detroit Lions. The entire five day experience was well worth the investment of time and marginal expense to see immediate and positive results we did in Sean's kicking.

I highly recommend Coach Rafter to anyone who wants to see marked improvement in any aspect of their kicking game. The best part is, Coach Rafter is easily accessible to help with any questions you may have even after your session is over.

Thanks Coach,

Russ, Karen, and Sean Orlando

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It led to a full scholarship and eventually a position in the National Football League. I recently caught up with Jimmy a few months ago during another camp. He invited me into his home and allowed me to meet his family. I learned so much from him over the weekend. I realized that he has a true passion for what he does. He is totally in it for the kids he works with. The camp he put on with the instructors and demonstrations he had, he could have easily charged three times the amount as he did. This just showed me again he has such a passion for what he does. While staying at his house I learned a lot about him personally. He is a true family man. His love for his wife and two beautiful little daughters is so great to witness. He is extremely caring, generous, and so knowledgeable. The thing I respect most about him, is that he does not pretend to know everything. He is always willing to learn.

I am so glad I got to know Jimmy. I consider it a great blessing to be able to work with Jimmy in the way I did. God’s timing was perfect in both of our lives and without Jimmy I truly believe I would not be where I am today. I would recommend Jimmy to anyone seeking to get better at their craft, whatever that may be. He will be there to help in any way that he can. He will go out of his way to help others succeed at what they are doing. Thank you Jimmy for being a great teacher a great person and a great friend!

Robert Malone NY Jets Punter #3 (Retired) (Previously Washington Redskins, San Diego Chargers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

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“Jimmy Rafter is first and foremost a great football coach and teacher who has the art of guiding the most rare breed of player, the kicker, down pat…..Of great importance in a one day clinic format is that Jimmy connects with the kids instantly, gaining trust and attention like all the great coaches. I had the honor of coaching under Steve Mariucci when he was the Special Teams Coordinator at USC….Jimmy Rafter, like Mariucci, in the kicking game, is an enthusiastic perfectionist that football players rally around. Don’t miss the opportunity to have some of his magic rub off on you, your kids, and your kicking game!!!”

John Hazelton Head Football Coach

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Dear Jimmy, Thanks so much for the great job you did with Chas’s highlight film. You and Meredith are to be commended for the time and effort that you spent on his tape. I certainly feel that adding the achievements was a great addition to the film. I was most impressed with the individual filming that you did of Chas. The angle shots and the slow motion effect was a great way to showcase his technique. As you know, Chas received a kicking scholarship and signed with Furman University last week! We would like to thank you once again for all of your help.

Sincerely,

David & Angie Short

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Dear Jimmy,

I want to thank you for everything that you have done for me. You saw kicking talent in me when no one did. You gave me confidence and motivation to get better each and every week. There wasn't one time were you weren't honest with me. When I had to get better at a certain aspect you told me, when I was doing well you told me, I was doing well. You taught me that the sky is the limit. You did not just make me a better kicker, but most importantly a better person. And I appreciate all the hard work, effort and energy that you have put in me.

Nico Grasu Crespi High School of Encino CA

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Jimmy,

Congratulations on a tremendous kicking competition! The entire day was a thrill for the players and their parents. The game-like situation you created with the announcing and music playing really added to the experience. The talent was "top notch" with 5 underclassmen connecting on 50+ yard field goals. Many of the parents and kickers commented on the value of your Recruiting station. That was a nice touch. Kevin and I are anxiously awaiting your creation of his highlight video so we can put your recruiting ideas to work. Congratulations again on a very successful weekend.

Jay Harper

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Dear Jimmy,

We want to thank you for the awesome job you and Meredith did with Anthony's kicking highlight film. Everyone who has seen it has complimented you for producing such a professional and impressive DVD. We are thrilled to see Anthony's kicking abilities showcased so well by Rafter Pro Training, and I would highly recommend you to anyone. We are also very grateful for having a college recruitment consulting session with you a few months ago. Your outlined recruitment guide and your sound advice has helped us embark on the recruitment process with more confidence and useful knowledge. We also want to thank you for working with Anthony over the last year. Your instruction, honesty, and guidance have improved his kicking and punting skills and given him even more confidence to succeed on the field as well as in competitions- as he did in the Best Kicker in LA competition you sponsored this year. We look forward to a continued relationship with Rafter Pro Training......

Sincerely, Anthony & Lucy Leonardi Anthony Leonardi- Newbury Park High School

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Jimmy,

Thank you for taking the time to spend a couple of days working individually with my son Kevin. The experience was well worth the flight in from Ohio as I believe that personal instruction such as yours is necessary to reinforce the fundamentals before attending any showcases or camps. I'm glad we had time to incorporate the video analysis. Breaking down each kick frame by frame has become a valuable tool in understanding the physics necessary for a successful kick. Additionally, the recruiting consultation will prove to be a great resource. Your advice and breakdown of the entire process will be a big help in getting Kevin recognized by the college coaches. Keep me posted on upcoming competitions. We'll talk at the end of the season about compiling a hi-light video for recruiting.

Best of luck, Jay Harper

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Dear Jimmy,

We have been pleased with the training and competition that have been provided for our son Pat through Rafter Pro Training. Through some of our college visits, we realized the importance of having a source of media for the schools to objectively view Pat's kicking. We were exceptionally pleased with the DVD you produced of Pat because it gave several different aspects of his kicking. You filmed Pat from several different angles on kickoffs and with continual footage when kicking field goals You also did a great job incorporating his game footage into the DVD. Overall thanks for your hard work and a great product.

Debbie and Sandy Simmons LaGrange, GA

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I LOVED YOUR EVENT THIS WEEKEND AND I LOOK FORWARD TO IT AGAIN NEXT YEAR. ALLEN LOVED IT, HE WISHED HE WOULD HAVE PROFORMED BETTER BUT IT WAS JUST A LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR HIM OR AT LEAST THAT IS THE WAY HE IS LOOKING AT IT. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.

MIKE OWENS

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Dear Mr. Rafter,

We want to thank you very much for the opportunity to be involved with your program and your efforts in helping Robert be successful with his punting. The Best Kicker/Punter in LA contest allowed Robert to receive exposure to college recruiters and ultimately a college scholarship! We look forward to working with you again in helping Robert train for his next step in his career as the punter for Fresno State. Thank you again!

Dave and Kathy Malone

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Dear Mr. Rafter (Jimmy :)

We wanted to drop you a quick email to tell you THANK YOU VERY MUCH for all the hard work and endless hours you put in to help the competition take place this past weekend. This was some very good experience for our son, Sean Piwarski and my husband was able to get some invaluable film. When we've sent highlight film of Sean long snapping at his high school football games the snaps were only from 12 yards. The snaps this weekend were 15 yard snaps and there was a lot of repetitive snapping, which looks great on the film. This, along with his name being announced numerous times also sounds good on the film, and FINALLY (this is one of the best parts ;) when they all came to the side lines to hear the winners' names and you were also announcing the "...top 5 lonsnappers" in L.A., etc. well, this will also be great on film too!!! Seriously, though, Jimmy THANK YOU and your wonderful wife for all that you do for these players. Thank you again for all you do, Jimmy and Meredith!! It's almost time for the baby!!! I know you must be so very excited!!!! God Bless You and have a wonderful Christmas and New Year's Holiday!!!! Very truly yours,

The PIWARSKI Family (Sean Piwarski's parents)

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Hey Jimmy, Well you got it out. Now we'll all be sad to see you go, but very happy as you take on your new venture. You are definitely a great asset wherever you are . Thank you for your positive nourishing attitude and guidance. You were God send, because we would have never known where to start with Victor's NFL bound punting career. You took Victor to heights he only dreamed of; Like I've said in the past, you are an inspiration to every young man with a dream. Take care Jimmy and we will see you before you leave. Say hi to Meredith, and a hug for your beautiful daughter Lorelai. Talk to you soon.

Carmen

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Thanks for checking on Sean Piwarski, Jimmy and thank you also for EVERYTHING you did to help Sean out. I can assure you that Sean's success is largely due to his self-motivation, discipline and the help that YOUR camps and your instruction gave him. I mean, you don't become one of the TOP 10 LONGSNAPPERS in L.A. (in Sean's case the TOP 3) without help from Jimmy Rafter Pro Training!!! Write back and we look forward to hearing from you!!!!

Tim and Rose Piwarski (Sean's Parents)

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Thanks Jimmy...this is definitely a very thorough press release and it takes a lot of class for you to take the time to write a little blurb on the top participants of each category. We appreciate your support.

Melinda, John and Andrew Aldrian

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Hello Jimmy,

Once again, Victor and I thank you for this opportunity to demonstrate the excellent punting skills that he has learned from your total commitment to your students. It's almost been a year that Victor started training with you and his technique and skills have improved 150%. He's a powerful punter, when ever anyone asks we tell them that it's because of Jimmy of Rafter Protraining. Keep up the great work. You're an inspiration to these young men who have a dream.

Sincerely,

Carmen and Victor

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Dear Jimmy,

On behalf of David, Sean and myself, we would like to sincerely thank you for all your time and effort in promoting Sean. He is very happy with his choice of WNMU and looks forward to making a real difference in their kicking game. Thank you for believing in Sean, we certainly believe in you!

Sincerely, Yvette Sehnem

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Jimmy,

Just wanted to thank you for the great work you did with Kevin's highlight video. We were very impressed with the professionalism and quality of the tape. We sent you a compilation of raw film and you were able to condense it and create something that should be on Sports Center (or with it being that time of year, maybe The Oscars). We've already sent copies and are anxious to hear the comments from the coaches. I'm sure they'll be impressed. Thanks again!

Jay Harper

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Mr. Rafter,

I wanted to extend my thanks to you and your staff. My son, Benjamin Weber, is a high school sophomore who attended your camp in Chino today. My wife and I watched most of the session, and we were both very impressed with your entire team of trainers. The real payoff, however, was shown in my son's response to the day's instruction. He was incredibly excited about what he had learned and newly motivated to continue his workout schedule and integrate the things you and your staff showed him today. He claims to have instantly added five yards to his kickoff distance and gained accuracy on his field goals. Additionally, your offer to respond to further questions should they arise was appreciated. My son has a dream to kick in college. Whether or not he is able to make his dream become reality depends in part on how much he can learn from professionals like yourself. The camp would be a bargain at twice the price, and I thank you.

Sincerely,

Leonard Weber

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Jimmy,

FYI, as far as books he is so impressing me big time and I am a teacher! He has the highest grade in 3 of his classes right now, Math, Science, and History. Wow! We just hope he doesn't burn out on book work so we are trying to keep him paced. Your encouragement and participation in his life is huge. You have a big influence in his life. Keep up the great work with all your trainees!

Thanks. -Don

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Jimmy,

Thanks again for helping us out this past summer. As you might have heard, we beat our crosstown rivals this past Friday, with a last minute field goal. They have dominated our league and had beaten us 13 straight years... Your expertise in place-kicking and ability to build confidence in our kicker, Paul Zuber, played a huge part in his success. Paul kicked a 31-yard FG with 4 seconds left to win it!!! Incidently, Paul had the same opportunity last year, from 21 yards out and had his kick blocked! I wish we knew about your kicking lessons earlier..

Thanks again,

Jerry Chou Eagle Rock HS Head Football Coach

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Jimmy,

Thank you for helping with our kickers. It’s been a great time – you’re professionalism is applauded – looking forward to the future- Thanks for a successful season.

Coach Rich Wheeler, 04 La Canada Head Football Coach

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Hey Coach,

I wanted to thank you for all the work you have put in for me this year all the way from spring to our last CIF game. My kicking has improved tremendously since my first kick. Your one on one personal attention really made me feel comfortable and made me want to work hard to improve my abilities. I thank you for your time and teaching and hopefully can use you some more to get recruited to a University. I definately want to keep in touch to start my college career. Thank so much again and I look forward to working with you even more.

Chris

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I really enjoyed the camp and the experience of a combine. I liked how the competiton was set up and as well as our guest speaker. I really hope that there are more camps to come and I wish you luck on your new program. I would also like to know if you can help me out on any college recruiting. Im very determined to be the best kicker that there is and would love to play in college and even further.

Thank you for you help.

Steven Robles

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I first met Jimmy 6 years ago during my senior year of high school. I was at a camp competing verse the best punters in Southern California. Long story short, I didn’t end up doing very well and failed to qualify for the finals the following day. Jimmy knew I was upset and could not showcase my punting to the colleges that would be there the next day. I came up to him afterwards thanking him for the opportunity. This moment changed my life forever. He told me, “You know what Robert, I know you have worked hard getting here; I am going to let you compete tomorrow.” I knew Jimmy had the athlete’s best interest at heart, and knew he was not in it for the money. He truly wanted to see one of his athletes succeed. It led to a full scholarship and eventually a position in the National Football League. I recently caught up with Jimmy a few months ago during another camp. He invited me into his home and allowed me to meet his family. I learned so much from him over the weekend. I realized that he has a true passion for what he does. He is totally in it for the kids he works with. The camp he put on with the instructors and demonstrations he had, he could have easily charged three times the amount as he did. This just showed me again he has such a passion for what he does. While staying at his house I learned a lot about him personally. He is a true family man. His love for his wife and two beautiful little daughters is so great to witness. He is extremely caring, generous, and so knowledgeable. The thing I respect most about him, is that he does not pretend to know everything. He is always willing to learn. I am so glad I got to know Jimmy. I consider it a great blessing to be able to work with Jimmy in the way I did. God’s timing was perfect in both of our lives and without Jimmy I truly believe I would not be where I am today. I would recommend Jimmy to anyone seeking to get better at their craft, whatever that may be. He will be there to help in any way that he can. He will go out of his way to help others succeed at what they are doing. Thank you Jimmy for being a great teacher a great person and a great friend!

Robert Malone

NY Jets Punter #3