About Pat Sempier

Pat, also known as, the “kicking guru,” graduated from Verona High School in 1952, where he played for the legendary Dutch Wermuth as a running back, punter and kicker.  After graduating, he went on to the University of Pennsylvania where he majored in English and took over as kicker for the Quakers.  While in college, Pat had a chance meeting with the Philadelphia Eagles kicker Bobby Watson, who ignited his teaching skills.  As Pat explained, “Bobby taught me about leg speed.”

After graduating from UPenn in 1959, Pat became an assistant football coach and teacher at Chatham and Cedar Grove High Schools, before starting his 32-year teaching career at North Bergen High School where he also served as President of the North Bergen Federation of teachers local 1060. He was an assistant coach at North Bergen HS under coach joe coviello.  During his tenure, Pat decided to leave his paid coaching position to follow his passion and concentrate on mentoring kickers.  Since then, Pat had voluntarily coached more than 850 kickers/punters on an individual basis at more than 100 schools throughout New Jersey. 

Pat received numerous and well-deserved awards, including Hall of Fame honors from Bergen and Hudson counties.  In 1992, he received the Contribution to Amateur Football Award from the Essex Chapter of the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame.  This award recognized Pat as "undeniably the person most responsible for the development of the kicking game in high school football" during the past 30 years.  Pat also received the Bergen Catholic Crusader Touchdown Club’s McGovern Award, which “embraces the sense of values and dedication.”

In 2004, Pat received the National Federation of State High School Associations State Coach of the Year, Assistant Football Coach.  In 2005, he was awarded the YMCA Special Achievement Award for Outstanding Success As A Kicking Coach.  In 2010, The Marty Seglio Memorial Community Service Award – Hudson County Sports Hall of Fame was awarded to Pat.  In 2015, Pat was presented with the Msgr. Thomas J. Tuohy Award, given “in recognition, appreciation and gratitude for consistent and outstanding contributions to athletics at Seton Hall Prep.”  Pat was inducted into the Verona High School Hall of Fame in 2016 as an Accomplished Alumni.

In Pat’s spare time, he would send game videos to college coaches and recruits to help his kickers obtain scholarships and financial aid.  He would then continue to follow, coach and mentor them throughout their college careers. Many of his students have earned All-State, All-American and All-Pro Honors and became role models and mentors for younger players.

What was Pat’s philosophy? “It doesn’t take much for me to teach a kid.  Just give me 10 yards and a tree.  That’s because 90% of kicking is in the mind.  What I teach is all positive thinking.  Another part of my philosophy is that we don’t dwell on what they did wrong.  Just what they’re supposed to do right. That they can learn from a miss.  All positive thinking.  It’s crucial.” 

There was much more of the entire experience of being with the legend. For Pat, being a good kicker wasn’t about how many honors you receive or how much notoriety you get, it’s how much effort you put in.  "Kicking is fun and it shold be that way. I’ve coached over 850 kids and the biggest thing with me is that each kicker I’ve coached has reached their potential.  The best part is watching all these kids develop not only as kickers, but as young men gaining confidence as they prepare And move on to college and whatever they wind up doing in life. it's an incredible feeling and makes it all worth while.” Pat taught his students not just football, but about life.

Pat described himself as independently poor.  He never took a dime in his 66 years of coaching.   He was just grateful to be able to help and be a part of their lives.

Pat’s mantra of “head down, drive up,” which was his basic and time-honored approach, is still heard and used by kickers he worked with.