Olympic’s kicking ‘gem,’ Fernando Zelaya, is The Observer’s Week 2 football POTW
In the summer of 2023, Olympic High football coach Brandon Thompson spotted then rising sophomore Fernando Zelaya kicking footballs during soccer practice.
Thompson said he was impressed, and he thought Zelaya — The Charlotte Observer’s high school football player of the week for Week 2 of the season — had some potential.
“He was out there just messing around with some of my former kickers,” Thompson said. “I was like, ‘You should come play football.”
Zelaya said he would try out, but Thompson said he’s heard that before — and then the player never shows up.
Not Zelaya.
“He came out the next time and he was asking questions,” Thompson said. “It was about how to get better, and for 14 months he’s been with us.”
Thompson said Zelaya made all 10 of his field goal attempts as a sophomore and didn’t miss a point after touchdown attempt either. He’s continued that run of good play as a junior, where, in three games, he is 11 for 12 in PATs and nailed all four of his field goal attempts.
Zelaya won player of the week after helping Olympic beat North Mecklenburg 26-23 Aug. 31, when he made all three PATs, plus a field goal and he averaged 44 yards on his kickoffs with one touchback. After that performance, Zelaya won a week-long vote among Observer readers that concluded Sept. 6.
“Honestly,” Zelaya said Friday, “I believe I have a better chance at going to college with a scholarship with football (over soccer) and I believe I’ve got a pretty strong leg as well. And I figure that can take me a very long way in life. I’ve played soccer since I was a little kid but giving it up wasn’t that hard. Coaching-wise, soccer wasn’t as disciplined, but coach (Thompson) is a great coach. Morning practices were awesome, and just having to be there in the morning and playing with the team was fun.”
Zelaya kicked the game-winning PAT in a season-opening 21-20 win over West Mecklenburg last month and Thompson has no trouble letting him kick field goals, within about 50 yards, and extra points in just about any situation.
“Any time you kick a field goal, especially from the hashes, in high school, you’re looking at it with one eye closed,” Thompson said, “but I’ve gotten more and more confidence with Fernando. When Fernando is on the field, I’m pretty confident. And I always tell people that this (SoMECK) is the best kicking conference in Charlotte. We love Fernando and he’s a great locker room guy. All the players gravitate toward him and respect him and how he doesn’t fold under pressure. So, yeah I have a gem.”
Previous winners
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Week 0: Carson Clutter, Charlotte Latin
Week 1: Sean Brady, Hough High School
This story was originally published September 10, 2024 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Olympic’s kicking ‘gem,’ Fernando Zelaya, is The Observer’s Week 2 football POTW."
