Aussies punting beyond their borders — One US Dad takes NCAA to court and takes a stand for American hopefuls
In a world where winning is everything, it’s widely accepted that success hinges on finding the best talent—wherever it may come from. A football team looking to win a title will be looking to recruit the new best quarterback in the league, the best tight end, and the best punter. And even if that punter is Australian, who’s complaining, you’ve just won the championship!
But in fact, one US Dad is, and has launched a class action against the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) targeting the influx of Australian punters and calling for equity for US kids.[1]
The Australian presence in US Football
For thousands of high school students in the U.S, playing college football is a lifelong dream. College football holds significant cultural value and has grown to become a multi-billion-dollar industry, attracting crowds of up to 100,000. The scale of college football is unmatched by anything in Australia.
Yet recently Australians have become a key presence in US college football, particularly as punters, with Aussies making up 46% or 70 of all punters across the top 134 teams.[2]
Australians have gained a reputation as exceptional punters—the specialists who kick the ball downfield to limit the opponent’s field position. Unsurprisingly, this talent often stems from their AFL backgrounds.
A New York Times article in 2023 stated 61 out of 133 top tier (divison 1) football rosters had an Australian punter.[3] This influx of Aussies extends to the NFL too. Currently, there are 5 Australian-raised punters in the NFL — Mitch Wishnowsky, Michael Dickson, Tory Taylor, Cameron Johnston and Matt Hayball.[4]
The main contributor to this influx of Aussie punters is the recruitment company – ProKick. Tapping into this Australian potential, ProKick has become the key scouter, trainer, and connector, linking Australian athletes with College Football teams.
So, what’s the problem with Aussie punters making it big in the US?
Michael Loeffler, the father of a high school junior, and aspiring college punter, is leading a class action accusing the NCAA of giving Aussies an unfair advantage via “lenient” age rules and claiming “older physically mature Australian punters” are taking the spots of younger American hopefuls.[5]
The lawsuit essentially claims that punters, wherever they may come from, are not receiving a fair opportunity to compete due to alleged unfair recruitment processes. The class action is based on 6 legal claims, including age discrimination, unfair trade practices laws, as well as violation of the US Constitution’s 14th Amendment, which states “no state shall deny any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws”.[6]
Preliminary investigations have allegedly found that: [7]
Transcripts submitted to American universities were altered to boost athlete grades beyond their actual performance
Prokick has been misleading college football coaches on the accuracy of the athletes’ eligibility, visas, and information about previously attending universities in Australia.[8]
Many Australians are entering the college football system as mature-aged athletes, often in their early 20s. This maturity provides them with a physical and mental advantage over the generally18–19-year-old American who is competing for the same scholarship and spot on the team.[9]
Conclusion:
So, the question stands, are Aussies punters just too talented for their own good, or is there some kind of preferential treatment that unfairly leaves US kids with dwindling hopes?
Dr Adam Cohen, sport business expert at UTS, has noted that NFL is increasingly becoming international, or ‘invaded’ by international folk.[10] This growing sentiment has fostered the class action as a push for equality in an application system too often riddled with loopholes and mistruths.[11]
Cohen has recognised these flaws of the system, stating - “One thing I’ve learned about college sports is never underestimate their ways to find loopholes or ways to get around stuff if it’s going to help the bottom line or if it’s going to help the team succeed.”
However, Loeffler hopes that this will change as more parents and students join the lawsuit to secure fairness for future US punters. He acknowledges that the lawsuit may be a challenging process but believes it’s the right thing to do and sees it as a step toward fairness and justice, emphasizing that someone must "take a stand for our kids."[12]
Latest updates:
This is an ongoing investigation.
References:
[1] David, Mark, ‘Anti-Australian punting class action plaintiff wants equity for US kids’, ABC News (Website, 11 March 2025) https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-11/anti-australian-punting-class-action-plaintiff-wants-equity/105037696.
[2] ‘EXPLAINED: Class Action Against Aussies in American Football,’ The Project (Video, March 2025) < https://10play.com.au/theproject/news/2025/explained-class-action-against-aussies-in-american-football/tpv250311calnr>.
[3] Adam, Cohen and Matt, Huml, ‘Americans can’t stop Aussie kickers on college football fields – so they’re trying in court,’ The Conversation (Website, 18 March 2025) < https://theconversation.com/americans-cant-stop-aussie-kickers-on-college-football-fields-so-theyre-trying-in-court-251916> referencing <https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/07/sports/football/australian-punters-football.html>.
[4] Cohen and Huml (n 3).
[5] The Project (n 2).
[6] Cohen and Huml (n 3).
[7] Yami, Virgin, ‘Exclusive: Allegations of Fraud in Australian players Pipeline to U.S. College Football,’ FOX: San Antonio (Website, 18 February 2025) < https://foxsanantonio.com/news/yami-investigates/exclusive-allegations-of-fraud-in-australian-players-pipeline-to-us-college-football>.
[8] Cohen and Huml (n 3).
[9] The Project (n 2).
[10] Class action targets Aussies dominating US college football and NFL,’ Listnr (Website, 31 March 2025) <https://articles.listnr.com/news/class-action-targets-aussies-dominating-us-college-football-and-nfl/ >.
[11] Erin, Durkin, ‘US college admissions scandal: how did the scheme work and who was charged?’ The Guardian (Website, 14 March 2019) < https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/mar/12/college-admissions-fraud-scandal-felicity-huffman-lori-loughlin>.
[12] Virgin (n 7).