Recent graduate AJ Vavrik kicked for the 2024 Lyons Township High School football team wearing different cleats – a blue Nike for his right kicking foot and a black Adidas for the left. Little did he realize that extra Nike for his left foot would play a hand in one of his greatest football moments.
Vavrik was among the Lions who enjoyed a surprise mid-April visit at the school from 2013 LTHS graduate and NFL placekicker Jake Elliott from the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. Seeking a memento from his kicking idol and without footballs, Vavrik stepped up with the unused cleat for a truly special autograph.
“I have a little man cave in my basement (for the cleat). And I got to ask him a couple of questions about kicking,” Vavrik said. “I found out the day before. I’m very grateful because I got a little one-on-one time with him.”
Elliott’s appearance was another special moment for the Lions after a special season. The 11-1 finish included their first 9-0 start since 1943 and first outright West Suburban Conference Silver Division since 1987 before losing in the Class 8A quarterfinals.
On Feb. 9, Elliott captured his second Super Bowl ring with the Eagles in his third appearance. His autographed No. 4 Eagles jersey framed with photos is displayed in the south campus hallway near the weight room.
How Elliott conducts himself as a person, player and with the LTHS community earned a compliment from Vavrik, a devout fan of the rival Dallas Cowboys.
“He doesn’t have to do anything (for LTHS). I think it means a lot to the program he did come out, talk to us. I think it means a lot more than I think he realizes. I’ve looked up to him since I was a kicker at LT,” Vavrik said.
“I don’t have a Jake Elliott jersey. I want to say it’s against my religion to have an Eagles jersey as a lifelong Dallas Cowboys fan. Every time I watch the Eagles, I despise them – other than that one moment of the game when Jake Elliott is up to kick.”
Surprisingly, Elliott was discovered as a kicker at LTHS by chance during a Homecoming kicking contest after previously being known as a tennis standout. He excelled at the University of Memphis and was drafted in the fifth round. His walk-off 61-yarder to beat the New York Giants in 2017 remains the longest by an NFL rookie.
Elliott addressed LTHS football players and selected students and took questions.
“I would say there are a million ways to get (to the pros). The one common denominator with everyone who makes it to this level is a passion and will to get better every day,” Elliott said, following his visit. “You have to be obsessed with doing the ‘boring’ work over and over. The basics, the fundamentals. And that doesn’t just include the sport you’re playing in. That includes everything in your life. One of my favorite quotes is, ‘How you do anything is how you do everything.’ You can never turn off giving your best effort.”
LTHS football coach Jon Beutjer noted that Elliott’s 52-yard field goal as an LTHS junior, which beat Oak Park and River Forest 16-14 remains “legendary.”
The moment also remains special to Elliott.
“I remember heavy legs and some of the bigger nerves I’ve ever felt. But also a very overwhelming confidence,” Elliott said. “It was definitely a moment I’ll never forget as an athlete and competitor as something I could look back on and say that I can execute in the biggest moment with everything on the line. And for that reason, it will always be at the top of my list of accomplishments.”
Vavrik hopes to progress just as well as he begins kicking for NCAA Division III Illinois Wesleyan University (Bloomington) with hopes of transferring to a Division I program.
In his senior season as the Lions’ kicker, Vavrik converted 49 of 49 extra points and 10 of 13 field-goal attempts and had a 75-yard kickoff. He wants to use his love of sports and its statistics to major in communications and pursue a broadcasting career.
“I’m so grateful for Illinois Wesleyan giving me this (football) opportunity,” Vavrik said. “I just want to go there, take over the starting spot and go Division I. If not, I’ll stay at Wesleyan and be perfectly fine with it.”
Elliott is among four Eagles who were part of both Super Bowl champions. In the recent 40-22 Super Bowl LIX victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, Elliott was 4 for 4 on field goals (48, 29, 48, 50 yards) and extra points for the most accurate Super Bowl performance by any kicker.
“It is the best feeling in the world to get to the top of the mountain,” Elliott said. “It’s a euphoric feeling, but it’s a collection of moments throughout the year that you have to overcome and put in the work every day when no one is watching that make it so special.”
Vavrik discussed with Elliott the many elements needed for successful field goals. More important, it’s dealing with when they aren’t.
“You need to establish a process and routine for every kick. All I do is follow my process,” Elliott responded. “I handle adversity the same way I handle success. Dissect objectively what went wrong and improve on it immediately. Only thing you can control is what happens next. The next kick for me is the only thing that matters.”
While not as dramatic as Elliott’s, Vavrik had his LTHS breakthrough kicking moment on the freshman B team. After earlier making his first field goal ever from 38 yards, Vavrik converted a 47-yarder in the final seconds for a 16-14 victory over York.
“I don’t think anyone would have thought I would have made that kick. I just stepped up and kicked that ball as hard as I could,” Vavrik said. “I remember everyone running onto the field with like 2 seconds left and we got a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct.”