Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, September 7, 1994 TAG: 9409070119
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: Medium
But, two weeks ago, when Garcia learned he would receive a scholarship, that was a big deal back in Barcelona, Spain.
The field goal might require some explanation, but there was no translation necessary when Garcia told his father he could stop sending the tuition checks.
``I was more happy for my dad than I was for me,'' said Garcia, an exchange student who spent his last three years of high school at George Washington in Danville. ``I just wanted the kicking job.''
At that point, Garcia figured he would retain the kickoff duties he assumed midway through the 1993 season, but he didn't know he would kick field goals and extra points until Thursday night.
Garcia's chief rival, Kyle Kirkeide, led the Cavaliers in scoring last year and set a UVa freshman record with 60 points.
``I thought I had beaten him out,'' Garcia said, ``but, honestly, I didn't know by how much. I thought they would have given him the job because he kicked last year.''
Indeed, Welsh indicated this week Kirkeide would have kept his job if the competition had been close.
``It wasn't that close,'' Welsh said. ``It's like any other position, so what choice do you have?
``I would not have used Rafael on field goals last year. He was kicking a little slow, but he's got his timing down. Starting in the spring, he started to be more accurate. He does have the strongest leg.''
Kirkeide did not kick a field goal of more than 39 yards last year, when he struggled at the end of the season and missed two field-goal attempts and an extra-point try in the Carquest Bowl against Boston College.
``With Garcia, there's no reason why we can't be kicking 45- to 50-yard field goals,'' Welsh said. ``Kirkeide doesn't have that kind of range and I didn't want to put a lot of pressure on him last year to kick much more than 42 or 43.''
Garcia's leg strength was evident last year, when four of his 14 kickoffs were not returned.
``I'm not saying I told you so,'' said Ed Martin, GW-Danville's coach, ``but there was never any doubt he could kick at [the Division I-A] level. You can't help but notice when a kid is kicking 54- and 55-yarders in practice.''
Garcia was viewed as one of the top kicking prospects in the country after making 11 of 14 field-goal attempts as a junior, but he slumped late in his senior year and lost his chances at a scholarship.
``My sophomore and junior years, I had a really good holder,'' Garcia said. ``My senior year, once I got used to my new holder, he broke his finger. I'm not blaming my holder, but I got so many letters after my junior year, I thought I could get a scholarship anywhere I wanted.''
It wasn't the first football lesson of Garcia's career. His only exposure to the game had come when he watched the Super Bowl a couple of times when it was televised in Spain.
``I remember the first time I kicked off in high school,'' Garcia said. ``I didn't know what to do next, so I just stood there.''
``Our fault,'' Martin said, ``but you take some things for granted. By the time he left here, he'd knock the fire out of you.''
Garcia, who also played soccer for the Eagles, had no intention of playing football until he was recommended to Martin by David Rising, the son of his host family.
``Our policy is that you can't miss practice,'' Martin said. ``The first weekend after he joined the team, he had a chance to go to the beach, but he stayed. That told us a lot.''
Under terms of the usual exchange agreement, Garcia would have been required to return to Spain after one year. But hosts Barry and Linda Rising went to court to become his legal guardians.
``They're like my second family,'' said Garcia, who returns to Danville and stays with the Risings during shorter vacations.
It was Garcia's father who felt his son - placed in Danville by an agency - was not applying himself to school in Spain and would benefit from an exchange program. However, at least one reason for continuing his education at the college level was the possibility of a scholarship.
``I honestly felt, in the long run, that it might become a problem,'' Martin said. ``Without a scholarship, I think Rafael's father would have wanted him to come home to go to college.''
Garcia realizes the scholarship is guaranteed for only one year; however, he is certain to keep the grant as long as he remains the No.1 kicker and undermanned UVa does not develop scholarship problems., but with more field goals like his 40-yarder against Florida State, his only problem will be educating his parents on the nuances of the game.
``My dad, he's seen football before, so he might understand what I'm talking about,'' he said. `` But my mom, all she says is, `Sure, whatever.' It's not a big thing for her.''
by CNB