Last fall, not only did Washington State University's freshman punter have to learn the game of American football, he also had to acclimate to a new country.
Nick Haberer grew up in Australia where he played center-half forward and center-half back in the Australian Football League. Like punting, those positions involve drop-kicking the ball. Unlike American football, his sport does not require a protective helmet and pads. However, his role on his soccer team involved taking a lot more hits. When he felt he was no longer in a position to continue playing in the AFL, Haberer explored other options. That led to him entering a program called Prokick Australia, which develops Australian football kickers into American football players. WSU offered him a full-ride scholarship and he accepted it.
Haberer said that after growing up in a beach town where the temperature doesn't get below 60 degrees, it was a challenge to acclimate to the cold winter in Pullman. He also had to get used to the little things like converting Celsius to Fahrenheit and understanding slang.
During the preseason, Haberer and his teammates did several bonding activities in places all over the Palouse. He frequented locations such as Palouse Falls and Juniper Dunes, where they hiked and cliff jumped, with his roommate and teammate Dean Janikowski.
His biggest challenge was learning the rules of the sport that he was about to play at the collegiate level. The team went across the state border to watch the University of Idaho play a home game in the spring of 2021. While watching, Haberer had no idea what was going on and needed explanations from his coaches to understand what each flag meant. He needed to get a feel for the flow of the game so that he could play his position in the most effective way.
As his first season approached, he was more excited than scared, he said. He was used to playing in front of large crowds and had been in high-pressure situations. Haberer described his first year as a learning experience.
"I needed to be a sponge and absorb as much information as I could about the game," he said. "It's great to have a season under my belt and getting a feel for what it's like to be a punter."
One of his favorite memories of the season was being surprised by his parents at a road game in Oregon after not seeing them for a year. He noticed them at warmups and got very excited, he said. They filmed his reaction. He enjoyed giving them the chance to witness American football for the first time in person.
His first season was not without its struggles. Haberer suffered an ankle injury midway through the season. During a home game against Stanford, he tore a few ligaments, but played through his injury for the remainder of the season.
Aside from enjoying his first season playing football, which was capped by Freshman All-American honors, Haberer also had a great time taking in Pullman's culture. He enjoyed going to the RV park where he got to interact with fans and alumni after home games.
"Being a Coug means you are part of a family," he said.
He also appreciated the road games, as they gave him an opportunity to experience different parts of America.
Haberer said that he has grown a lot and has gained a lot of experience in the past year. His focus now is on staying healthy and letting his ankle recover, which will give him time to focus on other aspects of the game.
He said that he also wants to continue taking in the Pullman culture, as it has made him feel at home.
Nick Haberer grew up in Australia where he played center-half forward and center-half back in the Australian Football League. Like punting, those positions involve drop-kicking the ball. Unlike American football, his sport does not require a protective helmet and pads. However, his role on his soccer team involved taking a lot more hits. When he felt he was no longer in a position to continue playing in the AFL, Haberer explored other options. That led to him entering a program called Prokick Australia, which develops Australian football kickers into American football players. WSU offered him a full-ride scholarship and he accepted it.
Haberer said that after growing up in a beach town where the temperature doesn't get below 60 degrees, it was a challenge to acclimate to the cold winter in Pullman. He also had to get used to the little things like converting Celsius to Fahrenheit and understanding slang.
During the preseason, Haberer and his teammates did several bonding activities in places all over the Palouse. He frequented locations such as Palouse Falls and Juniper Dunes, where they hiked and cliff jumped, with his roommate and teammate Dean Janikowski.
His biggest challenge was learning the rules of the sport that he was about to play at the collegiate level. The team went across the state border to watch the University of Idaho play a home game in the spring of 2021. While watching, Haberer had no idea what was going on and needed explanations from his coaches to understand what each flag meant. He needed to get a feel for the flow of the game so that he could play his position in the most effective way.
As his first season approached, he was more excited than scared, he said. He was used to playing in front of large crowds and had been in high-pressure situations. Haberer described his first year as a learning experience.
"I needed to be a sponge and absorb as much information as I could about the game," he said. "It's great to have a season under my belt and getting a feel for what it's like to be a punter."
One of his favorite memories of the season was being surprised by his parents at a road game in Oregon after not seeing them for a year. He noticed them at warmups and got very excited, he said. They filmed his reaction. He enjoyed giving them the chance to witness American football for the first time in person.
His first season was not without its struggles. Haberer suffered an ankle injury midway through the season. During a home game against Stanford, he tore a few ligaments, but played through his injury for the remainder of the season.
Aside from enjoying his first season playing football, which was capped by Freshman All-American honors, Haberer also had a great time taking in Pullman's culture. He enjoyed going to the RV park where he got to interact with fans and alumni after home games.
"Being a Coug means you are part of a family," he said.
He also appreciated the road games, as they gave him an opportunity to experience different parts of America.
Haberer said that he has grown a lot and has gained a lot of experience in the past year. His focus now is on staying healthy and letting his ankle recover, which will give him time to focus on other aspects of the game.
He said that he also wants to continue taking in the Pullman culture, as it has made him feel at home.