By Michael Cruz
Former Guam resident and former MFL Champion Pepsi Warriors kicker Jared Wood is living his dream playing professional football.
Wood is currently the starting kicker for San Angelo Bandits of the Indoor Football League (IFL). He was originally a soccer player at St. John’s High School in Salina, Kansas. After graduation in 2007, Wood enrolled at the University of Wyoming.
He was a football walk-on placekicker and also rode bulls in the rodeo. Jared next enlisted in the Navy and was stationed in Guam. During the 2013 MFL season, Wood was the best kicker in the league. Wood admitted he started taking football more seriously than the past and focused on his craft starting in Guam.
He left the Navy after 4 years in February 2014. Wood made his first professional squad the same month with the Wyoming Calvary of the IFL. He was later picked up by the Dodge Law of the IFL in April 2014.
Wood kicked for the Law and helped them make the IFL playoffs. He left the team in July 2014. Entering his 2nd year of professional football, Jared was signed to his 3rd team the San Angelo Bandits this past February. Wood’s first game had him hitting a special teams player for a fumble recovery and kicking a 40 yard field goal. He also went 5-of-6 on extra points. Jared is hoping to take the next step to the arena football league or Canadian football league (Jared has a tryout in April).
Jared Wood practising his place kicking. (courtesy photo)
Quotes from Jared Wood
“Coach Cruz and the boys on Pepsi took great care of me and helped me get better. It just really shows you if you want it bad enough it can take you places.”
“I actually thought of all of them the other day at practice. I busted out my old Pepsi warriors helmet. Mine was getting painted and we got into talking about how the 49ers came out when the championship was going on and I hit a 50 into the wind”
“A lot of these guys are big D1 players and NFL guys waiting to get back in and I’m just a prior Navy guy that played gridiron football in Guam. They are just as tough and obviously it has taken me somewhere”
Writer’s Notes
Jared also became a dad this March, his son’s name is Grayson.
He would like to share his knowledge one day and hold a kicking clinic for Guam youth.
http://www.gspnlive.com/2013/pepsi-pops-rams-for-title/
http://sabandits.com/team/roster/396-jared-wood.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kN7ou_Wr__s
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(AP/Carlos Osorio)
