Louisiana, United States.
Kenneth Almendares is a Honduran whose name may not be known now. However, in the future, he could suffer the same fate as what the catracho baseball player Mauricio Dubón has done, but in another sport.
Almendares is an American football kicker who plays at the highest level of college football in the United States. ‘Kenny’ plays for the University of Louisiana Ragin Cajuns, who played the New Orleans Bowl this Saturday against Jacksonville State University.
‘Kenny The Kicker’ as he is called in his team, had no luck in the duel, although he converted three extra points and a 33-yard field goal, he missed one of 46 in overtime and his team ended up losing on the day inaugural college bowls in the United States. But he undoubtedly has a great future in this sport.
A while ago, Almendares gave us some impressions about his life and career. Before Saturday’s game, he told us that he was going to be in the game, which unfortunately they couldn’t win.
The catracho born in San Pedro Sula, with his family from Naco, Cortés, told us about what his life has been like and his arrival in college football, as well as his dreams of reaching the NFL and that he can probably choose to be in the 2024 draft.
INTERVIEW WITH KENNETH ALMENDARES
Kenneth Almendares, Honduran kicker at the University of Lousiana… Tell us your story.
I was born in Honduras, when I was little they brought me here, for better opportunities like everyone else comes. Suddenly playing soccer I was introduced to the game when I was in high school and the truth is that it was very natural to put it in, I have always had a strong leg with power, so the first game I participated in, I made the first kick to win the game. After that, with more connections I managed to get to the University.
You were born in San Pedro Sula, at what age did you go to the United States?
Yes, I was born in San Pedro. When I was little I came, I think I was less than five. I came with my mom and dad.
Did you play ‘soccer’ before or always ‘football’?
It’s just that I call football the ball, but yes, I played ball for school. I was also good at playing ball for school, I had several offers to go to college also for soccer, but I decided on football because it is bigger and there are more opportunities.
Tell me a little about your arrival at the University?
I had a coach who was a friend of one of the coaches at the university where I am right now. He told him ‘I have a kicker who is very good’ because he had not failed in high school. They told him, and the same coach went to introduce me to the school, he spoke to me, he met me and told me to visit the University. One Saturday I went, I checked out what the University was like, if they had what I wanted and what I wanted to graduate with. I went there because of the way the coach and the people were with me, they are different, they accept you as a person.
What year is it?
This year I finished, in May, but I have two years to play but I am going to continue to pursue another career. I don’t know if in one of these two years I will decide whether to declare for the draft.
That’s what I was going to ask… Keep statistics to opt for the NFL draft. Do you aspire to that?
Yes, the truth is obviously that having a “degree” (university degree) is important, but first I’m going to opt for the NFL.
What year would you look to enter the draft?
It depends on how the next year goes, if I kick 20 or 25 kicks, it depends on how many I miss. That’s what my profile depends on, as a kicker, the higher the better. Like the injuries, I had one year and even with surgery, that year I was going well. If all that hadn’t happened, I think I would have already opted, it depends on how this year ends. This year I could have declared (draft 2023), but no. I’m going to do one more year at the University, in December or it depends.
In the NFL kickers are key, the NFL is a great goal and dreaming of the Super Bowl…
Yes, of course, what’s better than being in a Super Bowl and winning it, whatever. Since I don’t know if you’ve seen games, it can fail too. One says ‘I can do this’, but they are different scenarios.
How have the coaches been all these years, for all the good things?
Notice that throughout my career, I have had ‘coaches’ who have taken charge of me, they have changed a lot, every year they almost change. At the beginning of my season I had many dilemmas but not because of the coaches, but because the ‘coaches’ brought their own coaches and chose them and when they chose them they began to fail and it was in the middle of the campaign, it was more difficult to have a good profile. But they have always put up with me, they have always taken care of me to do the best I can. I spoke with my ‘coach’ and he told me that the way I finished the year and ended up at least nominated for the best kickers in the NCAA, that’s how I go to the NFL.
What do they say to you in your family?
Notice that my mom, I don’t know if she knows much about what I do, I know she knows that I kick, but I don’t know if she knows much about what it is. When I played ball (soccer) my dad criticized me a lot, wanting me to do it one way or another, but when it comes to American football they distance themselves too much because they put a lot of pressure on me, but I like pressure. ‘When you come to the games, the more I want to kick better,’ I tell him. They try to leave me alone because they see that on the team they leave me alone, no one wants to talk to me, when there is a kick. This is how they explain to them in the United States that you don’t talk to the kicker, don’t say anything, no pressure on him. But the pressure is like an honor, let’s say, to have it, because not many people can do it.
Kickers can go through difficult times, they have to be prepared…
Yes, sometimes it may not even be your fault when you fail, but you can’t complain or get angry with your colleagues. Talk to them normally, do it right again and that’s it. For the next one, that is the mentality of a kicker, if it is not this one, it is the next one, if you score from 70 yards it is fine, if not the next one.
Many reports talk about your good work…
It’s good that they support you, because sometimes as a Hispanic you don’t have much support, it’s rare to see something like that. But it makes me proud, I represent my name, my country. God first to go to the NFL, I hope it can be done, if not there is no way, but God first yes.
What memories of Honduras have you returned to?
Note that I have not been, but my family lives in Naco, Cortés. I would like to return, maybe when I finish school I will go there, I would like to see my family again.
What do they tell you about Honduras?
Which is very nice, but also the truth is that it is a little dangerous, ha, ha, ha. But they (his parents) miss him a lot, their grandmothers. We even have our own house there, it is not used and it is better for the family to use it.
I hope you come back as an NFL player…
It’s okay, if that ever happens. Maybe we’ll talk when I’m there in person.
Kenneth Almendares has also played soccer.
2023-12-19 00:15:00
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