Stone Higley, a returning senior at Bear River High School, is set to join 200-plus kickers at former pro and Iowa State kicker Jamie Kohl’s annual National Invitational Scholarship Camp from July 19-20 at Rocky Top World Sports Complex in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

In recent years, Kohl’s competitions have attracted prep and college prospects alike with their extensive showcase tour. The national event is the leading evaluator for ESPN’s National Rankings system, as well as the Under Armour All-American Game in Florida.

Invited in 2024, Higley missed last summer’s event due to travel complications and will be making his first-ever trip to Tennessee later this month. Meeting Kohl in 2023, Higley’s kicked for the former pro at events hosted in Utah and Texas; Higley’s also kicked for Chris Sailer’s World Kicking and Punting Camp in Las Vegas.

“I’m looking forward to competing against everybody in my class,” Higley said. “Especially the outgoing seniors and even the transfer portal college guys. It’s always fun just to go out and show them what I can do and see what the competition’s like. I’m a competitive guy, so I want to go out and compete whenever there’s an opportunity.”

However, it’s hardly Higley’s first stop on a busy summer tour.

Higley made several in-state stops for kicking events held at Weber State, BYU, Utah, Utah State and Utah Tech; Higley also sought out trips to Idaho State and Arkansas.

As a junior, Higley tallied 49 total points — hitting 37 of 40 extra-point attempts and 4 of 6 field goal attempts — with his longest boot coming from 46 yards out.

Recruited off the soccer team as a sophomore, Higley’s worked with Jackson Clark of the Skyline coaching staff since picking up kicking duties for Trampis Waite just two seasons ago. Ever since, Higley’s jumped feet-first into what he considers a legitimate shot at college football.

“It was easy for me to pick up because I’ve played (sports) that’ve involved kicking for a long time,” Higley said. “As long as you can have a general knowledge of how to do it and the motions and stuff, you can pick it up. Then, you can get into the details like speed and function time and whatnot.”

It’s not uncommon for soccer to breed college and professional kickers. Orem native and current Washington Commanders kicker Matt Gay started his college career with the men’s soccer program at Utah Valley before transferring to kick for Kyle Whittingham at Utah.

In Higley’s case, that jump’s already been made, and the Division I hopeful will make a case for his boot later this month in front of some of the country’s finest evaluators.

“I want it to look as game-like as possible,” Higley said.

“I’d say this camp tests about the same as game,” he added. “This is one of the biggest camps they’ll have, so they’re bringing in the best guys in the country to compete against you. The pressure’s always there, but it’s added because you’re going up against folks that’re also being looked at by colleges and whatnot, so you just have to go out and prove you’re the best one.”

The national showcase is streamed live via YouTube from July 19-20.

Connect with reporter Conner Becker via email at cbecker@standard.net and X @ctbecker.