#ForTheBrand Recruiting Report: Preston Fisk/Lakeville North

LAKEVILLE- As we dive back into our #ForTheBrand Friday recruiting reports, it’s essential to know that the move from fall football to spring football hurts 2021 specialists more than anybody. Kickers, punters, and long snappers are one of the most underrecruited positions in high school football. We caught up with Lakeville North kicker/punter Preston Fisk Preston Fisk K Lakeville North | 2021 State MN who was off our radar in our first 2021 ranking but now has a spot as the #2 kicking prospect in the state in our prospects rankings for the Class of 2021. We chatted with Fisk about himself, his recruiting trail, and much more! Preston Fisk Preston Fisk K Lakeville North | 2021 State MN Position: Kicker/Punter Program: Lakeville North Get to Know Preston Fisk Preston Fisk K Lakeville North | 2021 State MN It wasn’t until his sophomore season with the Panthers when found his love for kicking. Lakeville North had an open tryout back in 2018 in which Preston attended. It was then Fisk got the attention of Lakeville North’s coaching staff. "I went in and made a bunch of kicks, and the coaches liked what they saw," is how Fisk described how the summer tryout went to Prepredzone.com. As for Fisk’s strengths, he is a specialist who is super accurate and hits kicks down the middlemost of the time. As for kickoffs, Fisk has a long leg and usually can create a lousy field position for the offense that’s about to go on the field, as most of his kickoffs go to the 5-yard line or better. Punting is a brand new avenue Fisk has added to his list just this summer. "I will continue to work hard and put in the time so that I can become an excellent kicker and punter," Fisk says about his senior year coming up this March. Bests About Being the Kicker When asked this question to Fisk, he brought a hometown approach to it. "I think the best part about being a specialist in high school is the pure joy in kicking for the high school you grew up watching and hoping to be a part of one day," Fisk said about his pride and loyalty to the Panters of Lakeville North. It’s also about the love Fisk told us, as the support he gets from his Panther’s teammates after he makes an extra point and kicks a touchback, everyone gives him the love he deserves for getting the job done as they well know, the game could come down to making a game-winner to send to the Panthers to victory. College Recruiting Fisk has gotten his first offer on the table, one that’s very family-oriented to him from Denison University, just east of Columbus, Ohio, where both of his parents attended college. Fisk is a phenomenal student, with a 4.1 GPA and a 26 on the ACT, so education is his priority when picking a university to spend his next four years. In the world of Zoom for football visits and conversations, Fisk has chatted with Minnesota-Moorhead, St. John’s, Middlebury (Vermont), and Gustavus. Elevator Pitch I was always taught in the world of business and sales that it’s still great to have a solid elevator pitch about yourself in case a future employer comes calling. I also think its a way for high school football players to sell themselves on what they bring to the table with the coaches reading on Prepredzone.com. Here is what had to say on why he would be an excellent fit for a college football program: First off, I think that whatever schools that end up recruiting me will be getting a scary accurate kicker from anywhere on the field between 35-50 yards. I can put it down the middle almost every time and have the leg strength to make the long ones, too. I can also set a kickoff at least 55 yards regularly. I’m currently working on improving my muscle memory technique so I can get touchbacks more frequently. And lastly, I didn’t punt for my high school during the last two years, but this offseason, I have been working on solidifying my position to be the starting punter. I have only been practicing punting for the last 2-3 months, but each week I am strengthening each aspect of my punting technique and am hoping by the season opener that I am locked in and ready to go. I am also a delighted go lucky guy, super outgoing, and you will never see me without a smile on my face. But I work hard, too, to make sure I’m always ready to go. I have also been lucky enough to build healthy relationships with almost every coach on our sideline during games, and I am super grateful for the help that they have offered me along the way during my short, yet exciting kicking career. Preston’s Work Ons Fisk’s significant two offseason work ons were his trajectory and hang time on his kicks. "I’ve had a college coach tell me that extra points get rushed aggressively and blocked a lot, so I want to make sure I’m getting the ball up quickly," Fisk said about working on getting the ball on those extra points. After the Panthers senior punter graduated, the Lakeville North special teams coach told Preston, "it’s your job to lose," as Fisk improved this summer even more by going to summer camps to build up his overall kicking skills. He’s had plenty of time to focus on technique in the two months of usual football practices and clinics and, in those two months, had noticed a difference, especially when he checked into summer practices a few weeks ago. Preston’s Mentor It was his dad, Eric Fisk, that has done the leg work for Preston to become the best specialist he can be. "He has helped me with my kicking career since day one, driving me to the field if I wanted to get some reps in, or shagging my footballs when I would kick field goals or kickoffs. He is the one who pushes me the most, and I am super grateful for all of the hard work, time, and energy that he has put into my kicking," Preston said about his dad’s willingness to help him from when he first started kicking his sophomore year until today. What Makes Preston Fisk Preston Fisk K Lakeville North | 2021 State MN #ForTheBrand? When I interviewed Fisk with this question, he certainly gave me a heck on an answer on what #ForTheBrand is. Here’s what Preston had to say on when he’s a #ForTheBrand kicker/punter in Minnesota! A little shoutout to the man that is all about the brand, Mr. Pat McAfee I have watched many Colts games in my lifetime to know how great of a specialist Pat McAfee was. He has impacted and taught many specialists across the country, including me. I aspire to be as good of a specialist that he was one day. I think he places second in the running for my football mentor. Check out Fisk’s strong leg here as he is a 4.5-star kicker by our friends at National Kicking Rankings.