""The enthusiasm, the stadium, atmosphere and everything was new to me. And I felt something: 'I want to be an NFL player.'""
""I was at rock bottom. I had nothing. I didn't want to do anything in Japan.""
""After returning to Japan, he leaned in. He studied kicking on YouTube, practiced on his own and started to teach himself English.""
""Now, after an All-American season at Hawai'i, in which the 'Tokyo Toe' made 27 of 29 field-goal attempts...""
Kansei Matsuzawa, a 19-year-old Japanese tourist, discovered his passion for American football while attending an NFL game in 2018. Inspired by the atmosphere, he aspired to become a kicker despite the odds against him. After failing college entrance exams, he felt lost until a trip to the U.S. reignited his ambition. He self-taught kicking through online resources and learned English. His determination led him to a junior college in Ohio, culminating in an All-American season at Hawai'i, where he excelled as a kicker.
Read at ESPN.com
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