Chargers kicker Nick Novak has deep roots tying him to the Bolts. His teenage idol was former Chargers kicker John Carney (1990-2000). “San Diego loves Carney,” Novak said. “I grew up in San Diego watching him. I was born here in 1981 in Del Cerro. Kellen Winslow’s (Chargers TE, 1979-87) son and I have the same godmother.”

However, Novak freely admits that his first love was soccer and enjoyed going to Sockers games when he was growing up. Early in high school Novak felt he wasn’t talented enough to play soccer at a Division I college, so he took up field goal kicking in his sophomore year. He was originally taught by the family of Torrey Pines High School alum (class of 1997) Hayden Epstein. Epstein and Novak became friends through travel soccer leagues.

Epstein went on to be a Parade All-American for the TP Falcons and played college football for the Michigan Wolverines from 1998 to 2002. He then played for the Minnesota Vikings and the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2002 prior to suffering an injury that cut his career short. Nine years later it is Novak who after many challenges is now on the verge of fully realizing the dream of being a dependable NFL kicker and may perhaps become the Chargers feel good player of the year.

Novak was signed after kicker Nate Kaeding tore his ACL as he attempted to make a tackle during the season’s opening kickoff. Kaeding is the most accurate kicker in the history of the NFL. Kaeding has made 173 of 200 field goals attempted for a career average of 86.5 percent.Prior to this season, Novak last appeared in an NFL game over two years ago when he made six of 10 attempts for the Kansas City Chiefs. He had also played for the Washington Redskins and Arizona Cardinals (2005) and then again for the Redskins in 2006. In all, Novak had only made 19 of 30 attempts which gave him a lack luster career average of 63 percent.

Novak, who is now 30 years old, has made all six of his field goal attempts for the Chargers this season, including four against the Miami Dolphins last Sunday. He has also consistently knocked the ball deep into the end zone on kickoffs.

Typically, professional athletes are past their prime when they reach their thirties, but Novak believes he may just now be peaking. “I think I am the strongest I will ever be,” Novak said. It’s all because he refused to give up on his dream.

Over the last few years he had gotten close to getting back to the NFL by participating in training camps for the Chargers in 2010 and the New York Jets this season, but he didn’t make the active roster for either team.

After Novak was cut by the Chargers a year ago, he had a successful stint in the Unites Football League (UFL) for the Florida Tuskers. The UFL is a far cry from the NFL and Novak continued to seek help to better his game with hopes he could return to playing football at its highest level.

“I’ve been spending my savings just to pursue my dream,” Novak said when he was in training camp for the Chargers in 2010. “To play for any of the 32 teams in the NFL is a privilege. It is not a right and you have to go out and earn it every single day. My goal is go out there each and every day and show that.”

This past offseason Novak paid for the cost to travel back to San Diego, so he could train at USD with Kaeding, who he considers a close friend, and his former idol Carney along with other professional kickers. Novak improved his mechanics and now kicks from a more upright position. “I use to crunch a little bit,” Novak said. “I use to fall off to the left.”Novak also said he learned a few trade secrets from Carney like attaching an extra cleat from a pair of golf shoes to his football cleats to prevent slipping on wet turf and sewing his socks into his pants so they can’t slip down and distract him during a kick.

Novak believes the biggest factor in his early success this season is in how the Chargers practices are conducted. “I feel great about the (special teams) unit I get to work with every single day and the opportunity to work with Rich Bisaccia, the special teams coach. I really think he is going to make me a better kicker."

Bisaccia consistently tries to push Novak’s comfort zone by manufacturing adverse kicking conditions. Bisaccia even makes Novak work through the punting drills in case he is called upon to punt as punter Mike Scifres had to kick field goals for Kaeding in the season opener. “We all treat practice like it’s a game,” Novak said. “Mike Scifres, (long snapper) Mike Windt and, myself, we treat every snap like it’s a real game. I really believe that our preparation during the week dictates our success.”

With success he has gained the trust of head coach Norv Turner. “I’ve been in a situation where you lost your kicker and it took three years to find another one,” Turner said. “(Novak) knows we have great confidence in him. He has earned that confidence.”

Novak could be the difference this Sunday when the Chargers travel to take on the Denver Broncos. The Broncos have averaged 20.3 points per game this season while the Chargers have averaged just a little bit greater than a field goal more at 23.8 points per game.

In other Chargers’ related news: Chargers outside linebacker Larry English spoke to the employees of Par Electric about the American Lung Association and his L.E.A.D. Foundation on October 4, 2011. English, a lifetime asthmatic, has overcome lung disease by taking a proactive approach to lung health. The video is hosted by Dan McLellan of SanDiego.com. McLellan has been a professional balloon artist for over 19 years. English didn't know this when McLellan challenged him in a race to blow up a balloon that provided a funny moment in the video.