ADAMS TWP — It's one thing to have a dream. It's quite another to not quit on it.

Matt White's dream is alive and kicking.

A Mars graduate who put together a stellar punting and place-kicking career at Monmouth University, White, 25, signed a contract last January to do both for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League.

He didn't get a chance to kick this year as the CFL season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Definitely unfortunate, but health and safety have to come first,” White said. “I've been home spending time with friends and family.

“Time flies. Take advantage of it when you can.”

Besides, White is willing to wait. His long-term goal is to kick or punt in the NFL and he plans to do what it takes to get there.

“I was in the Steelers' mini-camp for a look (in 2019),” he said. “The Falcons, Jets and Giants all gave me a tryout as well.”

None of those panned out. But White has gotten his name on the radar in the professional ranks.

Growing up as a soccer player — his father played soccer at Geneva College and started his son in the sport at age 4 — White was approached by Mars football coach Scott Heinauer about being his kicker.

After kicking for the Planets, White went on to Monmouth University, where he punted and kicked from placement for three years. He converted 19 of 29 field goal attempts — including a couple from beyond 40 yards — and 66 of 72 PATs. He averaged 40 yards per punt and put 43 punts inside the 20-yard line.

“I've gotten a lot stronger since then,” White said.

After graduating from Monmouth in 2018, White attended a couple of football kicking camps and was eventually referred to Mike McCabe's One on One Kicking organization in Alabama.

“Matt came to me as a referral from someone who believed he has what it takes to kick in the pros,” McCabe said. “After checking him out, I agreed. So we went to work on it.”

McCabe trains high school and collegiate kickers. There are 12 NFL punters and four place-kickers to come through his organization, including Ray Guy Award winner Ryan Allen (New England punter) and Lou Groza Award winner Cairo Santos (Chiefs, Bears place-kicker).

McCabe has also worked with All--Pro punter Johnny Hekker of the Los Angeles Rams.

“We run a kickers' recruiting showcase down here where every NFL and CFL team comes down to check guys out,” McCabe said. “Matt attracted a lot of interest.”

White said the Minnesota Vikings talked to him following the workout, “but Hamilton offered me a contract on the spot and I took it.”

Since the CFL season was canceled, White has spent time as an assistant coach with the state champion Mars girls soccer team, a personal trainer, working part-time cleaning up a gym and running the Pennsylvania division of One on One Kicking.

The 2021 CFL season begins May 28 and he reports back to the Tiger-Cats in early May.

“I've been hitting the weight room and kicking four days a week,” White said. “I go out to the Mars Athletic Complex and simulate different game situations.

“I kick field goals, do kickoffs, punt for distance, do directional punting ... I want to be prepared for every possible scenario.”

He is consistently hitting field goals from beyond 50 yards. He's hit from 68 yards in practice. He's averaging 48 yards per punt.

“The theme is shoot for perfection, but accept excellence,” White said. “If I hit on nine of 10 kicks (from long range), that's pretty good.

“My goal punting the ball is 55 and 5.5 (55 yards and 5.5 seconds of hang time). I don't want anybody returning a punt.”

White's short-term goal is to be the CFL's Special Teams Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year.

“Have a bang-up season and parlay that into another shot at the NFL,” he reasoned.

McCabe still believes White can get there — but acknowledges it isn't totally up to him.

“There's a new crop of kickers coming out every year,” McCabe said. “You only have so many jobs out there. The CFL is a great place to showcase your skills. It's a wider playing field there, so you really can't kick the ball out of bounds. Directional kicking is key up there.

“You can do well in a tryout, but the team's general manager or special teams coach may go in another direction. It can be out of your control.”

That's why White plans to have all of the bases covered.

“I want to excel in place-kicking, kickoffs and punts,” he said. “If I get to the NFL, I know I'll have to specialize. Whatever a team wants me to do, I'll do.

“I just want to be as prepared as possible.”