Scott Harding (footballer)

For other uses, see Scott Harding (disambiguation).
Scott Harding

Harding at a training session in 2008
Personal information
Full name Scott Harding
Date of birth (1986-06-19) 19 June 1986
Original team(s) Morningside
Draft 2005 Rookie Draft: #66 (Brisbane Lions)
2009 Pre-season Draft: #6 (Port Adelaide)
Height/Weight 178 cm / 78 kg
Position(s) Midfielder
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2006–2009
2010
Total		 Brisbane Lions
Port Adelaide		 48 (15)
2 (0)
50 (15)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2010 season.

Scott Harding (born 19 June 1986) is a former Australian rules footballer currently playing American football as a wide receiver in the United States.

Early life

Harding was educated at the Anglican Church Grammar School.[1] He is of Pacific Islander descent. His mother, Tulaga Paitela, is from the Polynesian nation of Tuvalu.[2]

AFL career

Scott Harding was drafted as a rookie by the Brisbane Lions in the 2005 AFL Draft from local Brisbane club Morningside. He played well in the 2006 NAB cup leading to debut selection in Round 1, 2006 against Geelong. He initially wore number 45 but in 2007 switched to number 5, previously worn by dual-premiership player, Brad Scott.

At the end of the 2009 season, he was delisted by the Brisbane Lions, but was later drafted by Port Adelaide in the 2009 preseason draft. He was delisted by the Power at the end of 2010.

American football

On 27 May 2011, it was announced that Harding had been awarded a scholarship to play for the University of Hawaii Warriors following a successful trial there.[3] Unlike most Australians who have transitioned to play American football as punters, Harding has played as a punt returner and wide receiver.[4] Selected to the Football Writers Association of America Freshman All-America first team and Yahoo! Sports Freshman All-America second team as a punt returner, as a Freshman in 2011.

Harding's 2012 Sophomore year was selected to College Sports Madness all-MW (Mountain West Conference) first team and Phil Steele’s all-MW second team as a punt returner and named to all-MW academic team.

In his Junior year Harding was named honorable mention all-MW, as a punter. 2013 recipient of the team’s Alec Waterhouse Most Valuable Player award. While stating the season as a preseason all-MW first team pick as a punt returner by Athlon and Phil Steele. Alson named to the preseason watch list for the CFPA Punt Returner Trophy in 2013.

Harding Senior year he was one of 10 semifinalists for the 2014 Ray Guy Award announced by the August Sports Council and the Ray Guy Award committee. He was the first Rainbow Warrior in school history to be recognised as a semifinalist.

He continues to garner national acclaim by being selected one of five finalists for the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame College Player of the Year Award presented by Starwood Hotels and Resorts. The award is given to the nation's most outstanding Polynesian college football player that epitomizes great ability and integrity.

When the Mountain West announced its 2014 All-Conference football teams and individual award winners University of Hawaii's punter Scott Harding was selected to the first team and as an honorable mention as a punt returner.

For the second consecutive year, multi-purpose standout Harding was the recipient of the Alec Waterhouse Most Valuable Player Award. The senior was also a candidate for the Paul Hornung Award as the nation's most versatile athlete. Scott Harding capped his illustrious career by being selected second-team All-America punter by the Football Writers Association of America.

Harding is the program's second FWAA All-American all-time joining offensive lineman Hercules Satele, who earned first-team honors in 2007. The FWAA All-America Team was first selected in 1944, three years after the organisation was formed, and is the second-longest continuously-published team in major college football.

Australia native set a single-season school record with 86 punts in 2014 with a 41.3 average and was among the nation's leaders with 34 punts inside the 20, including 17 inside the 10. His unique punting style directly led to five turnovers while 85% of his punts were not returned.

As a punt returner, Harding averaged 8.8 yards per return while 10 of his 25 returns went for 10 yards or more. He tied the school's single-game school record with seven returns (76 yards) against Northern Iowa, a game in which he was selected as the MW's Special Teams Player of the Week, and finished his career ranked second all-time with 88 returns.

Harding also made five starts at slot receiver and finished third on the team with 34 receptions for 457 yards and three touchdowns. His four-year receiving totals included 116 catches for 1,476 yards and six touchdowns.

Personal life

His brother, Justin Harding has represented Queensland at Under 16 level and currently plays for Labrador in the NEAFL competition. His father Russell Harding was co-senior coach of Mt Gravatt for several years including a 2007 premiership in the QAFL competition and was senior coach of Aspley in the QAFL in 2010 before resigning mid season. His sister is Emma Hunt and is married to Karmichael Hunt[5] who also attended Churchie in the same year as Scott[6] and the played Australian Football in the same team for a brief time.[7]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Mason, James (2011). Churchie: The Centenary Register. Brisbane, Australia: The Anglican Church Grammar School. ISBN 978-0-646-55807-3.
  2. ↑ Media releases for AFL Cape York Kickstart Pacific Toyota Crusaders
  3. ↑ Harding becomes first Aussie wide receiver
  4. ↑ Kaneshiro, Jason (31 August 2012). "Aussie football seasoned Harding for his role at UH".
  5. ↑ The Daily Telegraph: Why I'm punting the NRL – Karmichael Hunt's own words
  6. ↑ Courier Mail: Karmichael Hunt gets the boot from his girlfriend
  7. ↑ http://www.theage.com.au/sport/hunt-a-churchie-goer-at-best-20100531-wrc7.html

External links

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