Multi-sport Bear Lake High senior says he could give NCAAF kicking a run
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MONTPELIER — Toby Flake is a senior at Bear Lake High School. He is a multi-sport athlete, starring on the football, basketball and track teams.
Flake said he grew up playing soccer and satisfies the itch to kick as the football team’s placekicker — while also being a playmaker on offense. With goals of one day attending Utah State University, Flake said he is weighing the possibility of walking on for the Aggies.
“My best bet is probably kicking,” he said. “I think, if I practice — I’ve been invited to some camps — then maybe I could kick in college, which I would really love to do.”
Asked if he could see himself, one day, taking his kicking skills to an NFL camp, Flake said it’s something he considers regularly.
“In my dreams, yeah. One-hundred percent,” he said. “I always think about that, when I’m watching NFL or college games.”
Flake has been playing football since he was seven or eight — and tackle football since he was in fifth grade. Interests have come and gone over the past decade, but he explained why football has been a constant.
“I just love it so much,” he said. “The emotions in football — I think it’s my favorite sport, just because of the emotion. Getting in the game, you just feel like a whole new person — it’s just, it’s like a drug.”
Sports have taught him many life lessons, which he will take with him when he leaves Montpelier.
After graduation, Flake plans on going on an LDS mission. Given an option, he said he would pick Spain, after spending last school year palling around with an exchange student his family hosted from the Mediterranean nation.
“It would be cool to go there — I heard a lot about it, so that would be really fun,” Flake said.
Wherever he goes, Flake said he will miss the community he was raised in — having people come to watch him compete on the field or court, and wanting to chat with him about his performance afterwards. He will miss his friends, teammates, coaches and teachers.
For now though, he is soaking up every last opportunity he has to spend with them.
“I’m just living up every sports moment,” Flake said. “Every practice, I just think, ‘This is my last year, so I’ve got to take every moment that I have.’ I’m spending lots of time with friends, teammates, teachers.”