TAMPA, Fla. — Kicking sometimes comes down to numbers.

Number of yards in a field goal. Number of punts pinned inside the 20. Number of touchbacks. Numbers tell a lot about a kicker.

"I’ve always said its about relationships," Coach Tom Feely said.

Tom Feely’s built a number of those over the years, and because of it, he can boast a truly impressive number. With more than three decades of coaching and training the Bay area’s top legs, Feely’s built quite the resume, a resume he won’t take full credit for, though.

"I’ve been fortunate to have encountered a lot of guys who later had great success," Feely said. "And I don’t believe for a minute that I’m the sole reason for that."

When the Atlanta Falcons selected former Armwood kicker Sterling Hofrichter in the seventh round of this year’s draft, it marked the 16th time one of Feely’s former players made it to the NFL.

"You kind of feel for where a kid is going to go, how far they’re going to go and in Sterling Hofrichter’s case, he kept getting better from the moment I met him," Feely said.

Hofrichter is Feely's No. 16. His first? His son, Jay.

Feely’s coached all of his sons, but in many ways, every kicker he works with is family.

"You’re working with them over the years and you see them go through the various stages and so forth," he said. "They become like your son. I think there’s a strong relationship there that you build over the years."

And while 16 kickers in the pros is an impressive number, there is one other Feely is more proud of. The number eight, as in eight grandchildren.

"I’m proud of every one of them," he said.

Feely’s used to coaching others, but one of his youngest grandchildren taught him one of the greatest lessons.

This past November, at just four years old, Selah Grace was diagnosed with Stage 5 cancer, sending the entire Feely family into a free fall.

Photo courtesy: Tom Feely

"I didn’t know there was a Stage 5," Feely said. "I’d only heard of Stage 4."

Cancer had taken over nearly every part of Selah’s upper body, but she fought and beat it.

"Through the grace of God and tons of prayer by thousands and thousands of people praying for her, she pulled through," he said. "She taught me a lot about how to deal with adversity."

Kickers know all about adversity, and Coach Feely helps them handle it. He’s the kicking whisperer, with numbers to back up his success.

But it is so much more than that.

"It’s not just being a teacher or a coach, but it’s developing a relationship with that individual so that they really trust you," Feely said. "We are all the total sum of the people that we encounter, the significant people we encounter in our lives."