The Road Less Traveled to The 'Catdome. (Josh Kay)

We're concluding our "Road Less Traveled" series with one of my favorite stories out of the 2011 season.  Josh Kay transferred from Whitworth College before the 2010 season with a big leg and looking to make a major impact for the Linfield kicking game.   In all honesty, Josh struggled in 2010.  There was no question he had the leg but he was inconsistent with his accuracy and you could tell Josh was wrestling with his confidence.  However, 2011 was a different story.  Josh put his work in during the off season and came into camp this past fall as a different player.  The result of his work is that he compiled one of the finest seasons a Wildcat placekicker has ever registered.  That's saying something considering some of the talent the 'Cats have had kicking the ball over the past 15 seasons. 

Josh was always meant to be a Linfield Wildcat.  It just took him a little bit longer to find his way to the 'Catdome, but once he did, he's been a prime example of if you embrace the experience and trust in the culture of the program, the sky's the limit.

His story is one of a small segment of Wildcats that took the road less traveled to get to Linfield. Each of these stories are different, but with each, you'll learn about the adversity, perseverance, and self-discovery and that these players faced in both their journey to Linfield and during their time as a Wildcat.

#7 Josh Kay, Place Kicker, Junior (Salem, Or)

During my Senior year of high school, big decisions were on the table. The common apps, the recruiting visits, the unpredictable phone calls from coaches. While attempting to juggle these new tasks, trying to make the best of my remaining days of my adolescence and high school was difficult, even overwhelming at times. However, I knew it was necessary if I was going to prosper the way I envisioned after high school. I have great appreciation for all of the administration, teachers and coaches at South Salem High School for helping me along the way. They prepared me for the academic demands of college and equipped me with the tools I need to succeed in life.

I understood how important my college choice would be for my future and I wanted to choose a school that wouldn’t just help me grow as a player, but would best facilitate my road to success (both on and off the field). I was beginning a new chapter in my life and I was in control of my own destiny. I knew two things indefinitely, I wanted to play at the next level and I wanted to do it somewhere that I would love. Primarily, I wanted to pursue place kicking at the division 1 level. It wasn’t long after that I realized that I couldn’t do without golf. I had been playing all my life and it’s something I couldn’t live without. I ended up looking into schools along the west coast that fit into my three A’s: Academics, Acceptance, Athletics

A- Academics: First and foremost, the school had to have a high standard and emphasis on the educational experience. I wanted to be somewhere that offered various disciplines and studies, as I wasn’t sure I wanted to do in life at 18 (most people don’t, I’ve changed my major twice now!). Given this, I deemed that a liberal arts school would be an ideal choice, since these schools have so many options. This helped me narrow down my college search tremendously.

A- Acceptance. I needed to be able to accept the college I chose fully. I knew that no school would be perfect, but I understood even more so that if my heart wasn’t completely committed to the school, the community, and the program, they weren't worth my time nor was I worth theirs. For me, it was all or nothing and I discourage all cases of being on the fence. This reminds me of one of my favorite quotes from Mr. Lombardi,
“There’s only one way to succeed in anything, and that is to give it everything”

A- Athletics: The college of my choice also needed to have a program that was competitive, and would give me an opportunity to play and to win. I desire to succeed, it’s in my blood. I wouldn’t want to play somewhere where I didn’t feel confident.

In the end, it boiled down to Whitworth University and Linfield College. They fit my three A’s and I had been accepted into both schools with very comparable financial aid packages. I had known about Linfield all my life. I grew up in Salem Oregon, which is only about a 20 minute drive from the campus. I remember reading about the 2004 National Championship team in the paper in middle school and thinking about what that meant. To be a National Champion? I couldn’t quite conceive that at such a young age, I needed more reps, as Coach Smith might say. I wish I would have realized earlier just how special that is.

In the end, I decided to go with Whitworth and it is an experience I will always cherish. It taught me a lot about myself and I met great people who will be in my life forever. I went with the ambitious decision, and decided to part with the family ways (both my sisters are Linfield nursing program graduates). The decision left me 9 hours away from home in Spokane, Washington where I assumed kickoff duties for Whitworth the third game in. Along with the football season, I managed to win a NWC golf championship with team. Without a doubt, I had an interesting and successful experience at Whitworth.

Although I had enjoyed my time at Whitworth, I felt that something was missing in my life. I didn’t quite feel the same passion for training, I stopped day dreaming about clutch kicks, and my involvement with the school and community seemed to be going nowhere. To make matters worse, my mother had undergone some medical issues that made me feel the need to be closer to her. I love my Mom with all my heart, the things she has done for me and put up throughout the years seems insurmountable. I didn’t want to live my life with any regrets, and so I trusted my instincts and decided to pursue a transfer. Naturally, the first school that came to mind was Linfield, and it was the best decision I have ever made.

Everything I had been wanting in a college, in a program, in a team was all here. I had been too caught up in the excitement of leaving for college and my ambition to seek truth early. Since my time being here at Linfield, I have discovered my true calling in life, met some of the most incredible friends you could ask for, and most importantly found I've found God. The program and its structure facilitate a steady path to living a true Christian life, and I couldn’t be more blessed to be apart of this all.

This past year at Linfield I have really grown to love the players, the coaches, and the school. It’s a great feeling waking up every morning with a purpose and a commitment to something bigger than yourself. I’m enjoying my classes and am working towards a degree in business management. I will strive to transfer everything I have learned as a Linfield football player into my professional life because I trust that it is the recipe for success. Being at Linfield is a special opportunity l and I wouldn’t give it up for anything.

Sometimes in this life situations work out in the most inconceivable ways. If I can give advice to anyone who is questioning their acceptance of their current situation whether its a iffy college choice or just a pickle you're in. I would recommend trusting your instincts and pursuing your best chance for success. Doing this will add a direction to life impacting decisions.

“We are given one life and the decision is ours whether to wait for circumstances to make up our mind, or whether to act, and in acting, to live.”

-Josh Kay