PHOTOS BY CLAY WHITTINGTON Joshua Akers looks down at his contract after signing with the minor league Copperas Cove Soldiers Saturday morning. The former Badgers’ varsity kicker never expected to play football at a semi-professional level since his first action on the gridiron came as a senior at Lampasas High School. Joshua Akers does not consider himself a football player.

But the Copperas Cove Soldiers do.

“I’m just a kicker,” the Lampasas High School Class of 2009 graduate said. “There’s not much that goes into that.”

Despite the objections, the Soldiers filled their roster with Akers and 52 other players Saturday morning in front of a packed room at the Lil-Tex Restaurant in Copperas Cove as the startup organization held its official contract signings.

“It’s pretty nice, but I’ve never done anything like this before,” Akers said.

Soldiers’ head coach Perry Jones, right, addresses his players and their families at the Lil-Tex Restaurant in Copperas Cove. In fact, before the 2008 season with the Badgers varsity football team, Akers had never kicked in a competitive game.

The longtime soccer player stumbled into the position after accepting a “challenge” from his friend, former Lampasas kicker Sam Barbero, during practice in his junior year.

Turns out, with no experience, Akers was delivering the ball just as far as Barbero, catching the eye of the coaching staff in the process.

“The coaches wouldn’t let me stop doing it,” Akers said. “It was pretty fun.”

While it was fun in high school, kicking is now serious business for Akers after being signed onto the semi-professional Soldiers, and his new head coach has plenty of faith in the recent high school graduate.

Soldiers’ General Manager Daryl Peters, right, presents Copperas Cove Mayor John Hull with a complimentary season pass. “Josh is a phenomenal guy, and I thank God that he was able to be part of the team,” Soldiers’ head coach Perry Jones said. “I had some individuals come out and say they could be kickers, but when I saw Josh and the way he kicked, and his preparation, I knew he was the guy we needed to utilize.”

Just like his high school career, he didn’t seek out football. Football found him.

Several months ago, Akers’ mother discovered the Soldiers were holding open tryouts for all positions and encouraged her son to give it a go.

The rest is history.

Albeit, a painful one.

Akers broke two bones in his kicking foot three weeks back, sidelining him from practice for about a week and a half.

Luckily, the Soldiers do not open their season until late February.

For Jones and the entire Soldiers’ coaching and administrative staffs, it is a day that cannot come soon enough.

Three years ago, general manager Daryl Peters and wife Flora Peters, who serves as the general manager’s administrative assistant within the organization, began laying the foundation for the team.

Now, with coaches and players in place, the dream is finally truly taking shape.

“It’s been a lot [of work],” Daryl Peters said. “It’s just like anything else when you start out, it’s a building process.

“We’re finally putting all the pieces of the puzzle together, and I think it’s going to be great. It’s going to be really great.”

The minor league football team is the 41st organization to join the Texas United Football League. Other area teams include the Killeen Knights and the Waco Thunder.

Both teams currently share the Southern Conference’s North Division with the Waller County Gladiators and the South Texas Lions.

While the Soldiers patiently await the first kickoff on opening day, Saturday’s contract signing was an equally anticipated moment for all associated with the team

“This is a day we’ve been looking forward to,” Jones said. “Now we have a solid organization.”

After holding tryouts in October, players have been routinely practicing several times a week since late November.

Even in the brutally cold conditions of late.

“We, as coaches, have seen a lot from the players and a lot of them have that background of operating as a football player,” Jones said. “Because of what they bring to the table, I believe they can endure the hardness.

“I think each and every one of them is going to be able to succeed in what we are expecting of them.”

While many players on the team have experience at higher levels of competitive football, such as college or arena football, Akers is unique.

The fresh-faced teenager attributes much of his success to Lance Garner, a Lampasas Middle School teacher and assistant varsity football coach.

“I had a pretty good teacher in Coach Garner,” Akers said. “I love that dude.

“He helped me so much. I didn’t know how to do anything until [he taught me].”

After being tutored by Garner, Akers took over the teaching role and became a kicking mentor to exchange student Jan Ludewig during his senior season.

Not even a full year after graduating, the kid who “didn’t know anything” is playing semiprofessional football.

“I’m still trying to figure it all out, but I’m excited to start kicking again. I never thought I would [play at this level].”

Since graduating, Akers has been working various jobs and spent time coaching up-and-coming Badgers in Lampasas.

When asked if the two-sport athlete was coaching soccer or football, he responded with a laugh.

“Soccer,” Akers said. “I can’t coach football. I’m just a kicker.”

At least, that’s what he says. An entire organization would beg to differ, however.