“I saw a rocket attached to his hip.”
Chris McDonald quipped with a wry smile in his office recalling the first time he saw Mikey Barth kick.
The Basha head coach has seen it from the father, and now son, in the Barth family.
As a player at Corona del Sol, McDonald played against former Mountain Pointe High, and ASU kicker, Mike Barth.
Now, he’s coaching Mike’s oldest son, one of the top 2027 kickers in the nation, who already holds an offer from dad’s alma mater.
66 yards off the ground @steverausch17 @KohlsKicking pic.twitter.com/FpxK5Hq30X
— mikey_barth (@mikey_barth) July 13, 2024
Two years ago, Mikey, an excellent all-around athlete like his dad, kicked, as well as played free safety and slot receiver on the Bears’ freshman team.
“We had a good senior kicker at the time,” McDonald explained. “But I knew the next three years we’d be really good at the kicking position because he was putting [his kickoffs] into the back of the end zone as a freshman.”
All in the Family
Mikey Barth kicked his first football in sixth grade.
Soon after, it became a regular father-son activity ramping up to his first tackle season in San Tan Youth Football.
It was apparent early those family genes were passed down.
“Yeah, I was pretty good at it, even when I started,” the five-star All-American explained to the “Zone Read” in a recent sit down. “[My dad] would give me some pointers but, from the start, I could hit it pretty good.”
Dad could also tell early on his son had that kicking “it factor.”
“The most obvious sign was the sound,” Mike Barth said. “The ‘pop’ when the ball is struck. You can’t teach that.”
Mikey’s youth football placekicking skills also helped him excel at soccer. He was named Basha’s varsity MVP as a freshman.
The Mental Side
Much like golfers, place kickers can live in a fragile space.
Attempting field goals and extra points are, quite simply, “all eyes” situations.
While a clean hold and snap are key parts of the execution equation, kickers are always the ones who seem to be remembered – for better or worse.
They are, in that moment, the focus of everyone’s attention.
“The mental side of the game is a huge part,” Mikey noted. “Especially for kicking in terms of visualizing [the kick].”
Mike Barth has suggested Mikey read, “Mind Gym” by Gary Mack, a renowned sports psychology consultant.
Barth said the book details how some of the top athletes in the world build their mental skill set with an emphasis on strengthening focus, pushing limits, and embracing challenges – all keys to getting the most out of yourself, both athletically, as well as personally.
“I am trying to explain to reach the goals he’s set for himself, and to maximize any athlete’s potential, you must work on the mental tool kit,” he noted.
“His peers and friends that he’s met at Rausch Kicking (founded by another former ASU kicker, Steve Rausch), have also been a great example and positive influence sharing the benefits they’ve experienced by investing in the mental aspect of their game.”
thanks Asu for the camp i won the field goal competition and kickoff @RagleCharlie @steverausch17 @coachcmcdonald pic.twitter.com/Kc8KXNjXop
— mikey_barth (@mikey_barth) June 12, 2025
McDonald believes Barth is already mentally advanced for his age and could play other positions at a high 6A level if he chose not to solely focus on placekicking.
“Absolutely,” he said without hesitation. “He’s got a great football IQ. That would have put him ahead of the game, regardless of how tall he is.
“He’s an excellent athlete. As a freshman, he was really strong in the weight room, too…he’d come down and hit ‘ya.”
Playing Out the Process
It’s easy to see why Barth is so important to Basha’s success in terms of the “hidden yards” from his booming kick offs (nearly all are touchbacks), and reliability in PAT’s, where he’s a perfect 63-63 in his short varsity career.
‘27 pk @mikey_barth shows why he has the strongest leg in the country and a full-ride offer to Arizona State!
KOS – 7/7 tbs (3 hit cross bar – no wind)
PATs – 6/6
Fgs – no attempts pic.twitter.com/KOaBfe9ltO— Rausch Kicking (@steverausch17) September 13, 2025
One swing of his leg can impact a game in several ways.
However, Mike Barth’s biggest focus for his son in the present isn’t worrying about the next offer or etching his name in the records of Basha football.
It’s simply to concentrate on what’s within his power.
“My advice for him is simply to focus on what he can control,” explained Mike. “For example, taking care of [his] grades in the classroom, ensure he’s sticking to his routine mobility training, proper rest, nutrition, etc.
“Do his best each day and the rest will take care of itself.”
Thanks @nunez_jay for the small group session and experience. @AlabamaFTBL @steverausch17 @coachcmcdonald pic.twitter.com/PLswPv42VE
— mikey_barth (@mikey_barth) June 27, 2025
In terms of college kicker recruiting, the process is a bit different than other positions. Schools will contact a prospect’s kicking coach (in Mikey’s case, Rausch), directly.
While kicking in Sun Devil Stadium on Frank Kush Field would be special, both agree Mikey needs to create his own legacy, whether that be in Tempe, or elsewhere.
T-Cup Touchdown
It’s rare, almost unheard of, for a high-level college kicker to account for all seven points on a touchdown, but in 2000, Mike Barth checked that box in Tucson, etching his name in ASU Territorial Cup lore.
Setting up for what was expected to be a chip-shot field goal from just inside the left hash, Barth instead took the direct hand off from holder Griffin Goodman and darted up the middle from 20 yards out, dragging two Wildcats with him across the goal line.
At that point of the game, Barth had accounted for all 13 of the Sun Devils’ points – two field goals, the TD run and ensuing extra point.
ASU would go on to a 30-17 win.
The grainy, low-def highlight has been played at the Barth house a time…or 10.
“I’ve seen the video quite a few times,” Mikey said with a chuckle. “It’s pretty sick. He’s put on his high school highlight tape, too.”
For dad, it’s both a time for fun reflection and hopefully, a bit of foreshadowing for his son’s future kicking at the next level, wherever that may be.
“What a moment!” said Mike. “It’s a bit surreal and amazing that he will be having his ‘TD in the T-Cup’ type moments as soon as the fall of 2027.”
The post Zone Read: Barth Family Kicking – Like Father, Like Son first appeared on Sports360AZ.
