Lewis Chaitov
Contributor
When it comes to football, there are two players in particular that often feel a lot of pressure. York kickers, Ramsey Aburaneh and Dror David, carry a heavy burden.
Their lockers, side by side, inside the Lions’ den behind the grandstands of the university’s football stadium. The two, close enough to be brothers, undergo the same practice routine every day: kicking footballs through the uprights, charging for the ball and working with their defensive players. It’s practice for the real games, where their opponents will be coming right at them in hopes of knocking them off their game.
“I trust those big guys in front of me to block, so I can focus on the ball, and Dror will agree with me,” said Aburaneh, dismissing any notion the rushing six-foot-tall giants stampede toward him when he’s trying to kick the ball may intimidate him.
It’s Aburaneh’s second year with the team and he is certain that his skill is getting better.
The strong team kicker has put up points for his team in numerous matches. At the annual Red and Blue Bowl this year he put his team on the board first with a perfect field goal at 33 yards. He was also there to face down Ottawa and give York their only points in that game. Though he’s been the lone scorer for his team at times, the kicker sees his team moving forward.
“I see that York is heading in the right direction,” said Aburaneh. “We go in with the same mentality and the same preparation.”
Aburaneh’s right-hand man David has come a long way from when he first started.
A third-year player on the team, David returns after missing the 2009 season. He is usually seen on the field kicking the ball deep into the opponent’s side to prevent any touchdowns and making quick runs down the line to stop his opponent if he is the last person to defend his goal line.
When you don’t see David on the field, however, it may be because he’s instead decided to observe a spiritual holiday. “I missed a game earlier this season for religious reasons,” explains David. “I’m Jewish, and the game was played on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in Judaism. I believe that my religion comes first, so I chose not to play that game.”
For the young athlete, there is no better feeling out there than returning and practicing with a phenomenal player like Aburaneh. David sees a lot of talent in his friend.
Repeatedly, the two practice kicking the ball first at 30 yards, and extending the distance each subsequent time. It’s their way of focusing on kicking a ball accurately and far. Aburaneh remembers kicking a football as far as 43 yards away and putting it right through the posts, his farthest in practice so far. In-game his record stands at 33 yards.
Aburaneh is already set to come back for the next season, while David is contemplating his decision. Though the team will not be making the playoffs this season, David recognizes the Lions are still growing.
“Football is not a sport you can go from zero and eight to seven and one [wins] in one season,” said David. “It takes time to develop players and a system, and everyone needs to buy in. So I would like to think we’re going in the right direction, but we need a lot of discipline to have this program go in the right direction.”
