Work, dedication pays off for Weeks

Max Weeks took a step forward in his long journey to punt and kick for a college football team April 25 when he signed a letter of intent to play for Faulkner University in Montgomery.

"It's pretty exciting," Weeks said. "It was a slow recruiting process. It really picked up toward the end. I had everybody, the people I talked to, tell me it was going to happen that way, but it makes you a little anxious to wait that long. For it all to come together at the end, it's pretty sweet."

The New Brockton senior got his start in special teams long before he put on a Gamecock uniform.

"I started actually punting over at Enterprise, before I transferred over here (to New Brockton) my junior year," Weeks said. "Coach (David) Faulkner at Enterprise came and talked to me, actually, after a basketball game. He (said), 'Hey, we want you to come out and punt.' I (said), 'Yes, sir.' I got some coaching from Coach (Hayden) Stockton over there, and he kind of set me on the right track."

When Weeks arrived at NBHS, he thrived as the Gamecocks' punter. Weeks was an all-state punter in 2015 with 14 punts for 502 yards and a 36.7-yard average. He put six punts inside the 10-yard line and just three were returned.

"I moved over here and had a really good junior season," Weeks said. "I (said), 'You know, if I put some work behind this, I could probably do something with it.' I started going to some camps. (My) senior season, it kind of blew up for me and I (said), 'This is what I want to do.'"

Once Weeks made his mind up to hone his craft for special teams, he practiced relentlessly.

"Looking back on it now I kind of see just being out there, even if I wasn't on a routine every day, (I was) just getting out there and figuring something out different with the drop of the ball, the way you spin it (and) how it can affect the overall kick," he said. "Getting out there every day working hard will pay off, especially if you've got good people behind you supporting you."

Throughout the process of Weeks' maturation as a punter and a kicker, he said he had a constant support system.

"My parents supported me every day," Weeks said. "My coaches here did, too. We don't have a kicking coach here, but they were all supportive and tried to help me any way they could. It for sure showed me it pays off to go after it hard."

When Weeks decided to put his mind and his leg to kicking, his coaches took notice.

"Max is just a special kid," New Brockton football coach Justin Jones said. "We have a good staff, but we don't have a designated person…to coach kickers. A lot of his was going and visiting this guy and going to this camp. A lot of it was after practice or on his own. He'd come up, he'd show up, we'd meet up here and he'd kick. His brother would catch with him. (It was) just a lot of things he did on his own. I think that says a lot about the (person) he is. He took something he could find out he was good at and he made the most of it. I think that's a lesson any young man can learn (who's) coming through our program."

The work Weeks put in paid off for the Gamecocks on the field during his senior season as well.

In 2016, Weeks punted 25 times for 1,067 yards and a 42.7-yard average. He had five punts downed inside the 5-yard line and a total of 10 of his punts were downed inside the 20. Weeks was all-state again as a kicker, and was ranked 14th nationally as a punter by Prokicker.

The NBHS senior's rise through the punting ranks drew the attention of several schools including Faulkner, where Weeks found a good fit.

"They're close to home," he said. "They're a Christian school. When I toured up there everybody seemed really friendly, very close-knit. (They were) good people. Everybody I talked to had great manners. They're very hospitable. The program itself, they're kind of on the rise I think. I just saw, position-wise for me, where I could come in and have a chance to compete for the starting spot. That was something special for me in making my decision."

The April 25 ceremony was also special for Weeks, who relished the opportunity to move forward in his journey along with his family, friends, coaches and teammates who have supported him since he took the first step in the process.

"They were with me through the whole thing so for them to be here today, it's kind of special," he said. "I can kind of reflect on my junior and senior seasons and be appreciative of what all has unfolded for me. It's really a blessing to be able to continue on at the next level and do it in a place I feel comfortable."