Saskatchewan Roughrider Alex Hale takes it one kick at a time

In the high-pressure world of football, few positions experience the emotional extremes of a kicker. For Saskatchewan Roughriders' Alex Hale, however, neither the elation of success nor the sting of failure alters his fundamental approach: "You just got to take it one kick at a time, assess what went wrong or right and then improve it and then move on."

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You just got to take it one kick at a time, assess what went wrong or right and then improve it and then move on.

Hale, an Australian, has navigated both ends of this spectrum through the first eight games of his Canadian Football League career. He has successfully converted 14 of his 19 field goal attempts this season, resulting in a 73.7 percent success rate, while also managing the team's kickoff responsibilities. While these numbers provide a snapshot, they don't fully capture the nuances of his performance.

Punter Oscar Chapman notes Hale's inherent talent, stating, "He's such a good kicker and he's got all the things you need from a kicker and you know I just got confidence in the guy." Hale began the season with a mixed performance against the B.C. Lions, making three of four attempts, followed by a two-for-three outing against Calgary. He then strung together two perfect games against Toronto and Ottawa, converting all four of his attempts in each contest.

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He’s such a good kicker and he’s got all the things you need from a kicker and you know I just got confidence in the guy.

However, maintaining consistency proved challenging as the season progressed. Entering Saskatchewan's Aug. 7 matchup with Ottawa, Hale had made 12 of 17 field goals, struggling particularly with kicks from 40 yards or longer, where he had only made one of five attempts. Despite these challenges, Hale's focus remains steadfast on his routine and mental preparation. Special teams coordinator Kent Maugeri highlights Hale's remarkable composure: "Alex is stone cold, he is the same guy no matter what he can go out make everyone, miss everyone he's just very even which is great."

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Alex is stone cold, he is the same guy no matter what he can go out make everyone, miss everyone he is the same which is what you really want so it’s never too big, never too low he’s just very even which is great.

This even-keeled nature, described by Chapman as a "goldfish memory when it comes to kicking," allows Hale to quickly move past any attempt, successful or not. This resilience became even more critical when the Riders signed Canadian kicker Dawson Hodge on Aug. 6, introducing competition. Maugeri expects both to compete vigorously, stating, "It's good to have competition. You have to elevate your level to compete so it's always good to compete against someone," Hale added. His response to the new competition was immediate and effective; in the following night's game against the Redblacks, Hale was perfect, making both his field goal attempts and all six converts in a decisive 42-20 victory, improving his season field goal percentage.

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He’s got such a good like goldfish memory when it comes to kicking, kick it and no matter what happens be able to move onto the next thing, he’s really, really good at it. You know, I think he’s got one of the best mindsets and that’s why he’s able to keep bouncing back each time.