COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Growing up in Texas, most boys dream of playing under those Friday night lights.
“I couldn't play football with pads, obviously, because my parents didn't move me to until seventh grade.”
So in the meantime — Colton Chmelar turned to the other football.
“Soccer was my first love. So, I started playing when I was like three, you know, city league and, and I just kind of really enjoyed it,” Chmelar said.
From a young age, Colton has displayed an incredible work ethic and he didn’t just want to be good at soccer he wanted to be the best. He spent countless hours in his front yard with a ball and net practicing footwork, technique and ball striking. Rec soccer, led to club soccer, which led to the Olympic Development Program where Colton was playing the best competition from around the country.
Despite his soccer background — kicking a football wasn’t really on his radar.
“I really liked receiver. I didn't think I was going to be a kicker, and then we didn't have a kicker in seventh grade. I was like, 'oh, maybe I’ll try it out' and I ended up being pretty good.”
Colton never really has an off-season, he goes from soccer to football, back to soccer and yet he still puts in the extra work to ensure he’ll be ready to go for either sport.
“From a work ethic standpoint, always trying to get better,” Tigers head football coach Brandon Schmidt said. “Whether it's a receiver, whether it's at H, whether it's A, whether it's as a kicker, whether it's in the weight room, he loves whatever it is he's doing, he loves, and takes a lot of pride in where he's at and what he's doing at that moment.”
One of the more impressive feats is that he’s doing three different jobs in quick succession – scoring a touchdown – kicking the extra point and then kicking one through the back of the endzone setting your defense up with great starting field position.
“It's a lot, but, I really enjoy it,” Chmelar said.
In the regular season – Chmelar averaged over 65 yards on kickoffs with 42 touchbacks. He is a perfect 47 for 47 on extra point attempts, and he’s knocked through 6 field goals including a 51 yarder. That’s on top of his 21 receptions and 5 touchdowns as a receiver and oh yeah…being an all-district forward for the Consol soccer team in the spring.
For years Chmelar had his sights set on continuing his soccer career at the next level but this breakout season of football has made his decision a little more difficult…
“It's hard for me to choose. It will really just depend on what kind of colleges are looking at me and kind of what kind really just where I want to go. It's really just god's will and kind of wherever, you know, wherever he places me. However my life ends up, I’m going to be happy with it regardless because i just want to play sports. I just want to be in the sports area.”
As of last week, Colton is a 4.5 star recruit. He was ranked the number 4 kicker in the state of Texas and 15th nationally for the class of 2025. Friday night he’ll help the Consol Tigers on offense and special teams as they begin their playoff run at home against Wagner.
