By STEVE SHERMAN, BucksLocalSports.com Editor
PUBLISHED: December 9, 2016 at https://www.timesherald.com/
ROXBOROUGH – Former Pennsbury midfielder and Roxborough resident Cory Bachstein has played soccer practically his whole life.er since he can remember, he’s kicked the ball around, playing on the pitch for the Falcons, at Yardley-Makefield Soccer, for the Nether Providence Mustangs and at Duquesne University. He currently competes recreationally for the CASA Soccer League and in a co-ed league that plays its games in a warehouse on Main Street in Manayunk.
Bachstein’s biggest kick to date, however, won’t be on the soccer pitch. It will take place on the gridiron this Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field. That’s where Bachstein has a chance to win $10,000 for both himself and for the Pennsbury Athletic Department. All he has to do is make a 30-yard field goal during halftime festivities of the NFC East duel between the Eagles and the Redskins.
A former resident of Yardley, Bachstein booted his way to this Sunday’s opportunity when he beat out 39 other competitors in the third annual Santander Bank Field Goal Challenge including Brandywine Heights Director of Curriculum Tom Voelker, the defending champion from last year’s competition. Held Nov. 15 at the NovaCare Complex, Bachstein kicked multiple field goals including a 35-yarder to make his way to the final.
Now, this one kick on Sunday is for all the marbles, as they say. Bachstein gets one shot and one shot only at making a 30-yard attempt in front of 70,000 screaming fans at the Linc. There’s no warmup; no practice kicks are allowed.
$149,000 grant will combat opioid crisis among Montco inmate, parolee population
“I’m sure you’ll see some crazy guy running along the sidelines trying to warm up when it’s 40 degrees,” quipped Bachstein. “Or I’ll be in the tunnel doing something crazy to try to warm up the legs a little bit and stretch.
“I’m sure there’s not going to be much time during halftime. I’ll be running out there saying hello and taking a swing at it.
“I’ll give it my best shot and hope for the best.”
Even if Bachstein misses, both he and Pennsbury receive $2,500. Of course, Bachstein would rather make good on the kick for both himself and Falcon athletics. He and his fiancee, Nicole – who will be in attendance cheering the kicker on – are getting married next August ,so $10,000 is looking like an awfully nice wedding gift from Santander Bank.
While Bachstein never played football in college, he came as close as you can to becoming the Dukes placekicker without ever joining the team. In the spring of 2011, Duquesne head coach Jerry Schmitt had asked Bachstein to try out for the position.
Bachstein was all set to take on the placekicking duties when a graduate assistant position came through. As he could not do both, Bachstein decided instead to focus on academics his final year of eligibility.
The tryout did permit Bachstein to gain some valuable experience putting the ball through the uprights. He says his longest kick under pressure from defenders was 40 yards but that he could hit up to a range of 50 yards five years ago.
“I did pretty well,” said Bachstein. “While I was never actually on the team, I did practice with them, learn how to kick a field goal and see how you transition from kicking a soccer ball to kicking a football.”
Bachstein is fortunate to be kicking any kind of a ball. He has an injury history that dates back to high school, he says.
Near the end of his freshman year at Duquesne, Bachstein suffered a plantar fascia tear in his right foot that only got worse his sophomore season. That year, he received a couple of cortisone shots, which weakened the ligaments in his ankle. Thinking he was healed, he came back for his junior campaign only to shatter his right (kicking) foot and ankle during the season opener.
Bachstein recovered in time to play every game of his senior season. He says the ankle hurts from time to time, though he’s still able to play soccer – and practice field goal kicking.
Tuesday night in the pouring rain, he practiced kicking the pointed ball through the uprights at Al Pearlman Sports Complex in Upper Roxborough.
“I’m just trying to prepare for the worst,” he says.
Bachstein says he is appreciative to Santander for the opportunity that’s ahead of him this weekend. He owes his mother some love, additionally, as she was the one who saw the newspaper ad seeking contestants for the competition and sent it on to him.
Bachstein filled out an application online and was notified a few days later that his name had been selected as one of the first-round participants. With no pointed balls around the house with which to practice, the first step was a trip to the local sporting goods store to purchase a football.
He says he hopes the final step in the process results in his 30-yard kick splitting the uprights during halftime on Sunday at the Linc.
NOTES: >> A Sinking Springs resident, Voelker made his 30-yard field goal last year, winning $10,000 for himself and for Brandywine Heights Middle School. Kyle Werts, a 22-year-old Saint Joseph’s University student from Quakertown, was wide left on a 40-yard attempt in the inaugural Santander Bank Field Goal Challenge in 2014.