Bill Gramatica facts for kids

Guillermo C. "Bill" Gramatica (born 10 July 1978) is a former professional American football player. He was a placekicker, which is the player who kicks the ball for field goals and extra points. Bill played in the National Football League (NFL) for teams like the Arizona Cardinals and Miami Dolphins. He also played in the Arena Football League (AFL) for the Tampa Bay Storm. He is well-known for an unusual injury he got in 2001. He tore a knee ligament while celebrating a successful kick!

Early Life and Family

Bill Gramatica was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on July 10, 1978. His parents are Laura and William Gramática. Bill is the younger brother of another famous placekicker, Martin Gramatica. He also has an older brother named Santiago.

In 1983, when Bill was young, his family moved from Argentina to LaBelle, Florida, in the United States. Bill and both of his brothers went to and graduated from LaBelle High School.

High School Football Success

During his senior year of high school in 1995, Bill was a star kicker. He successfully kicked 15 out of 20 field goals. He also made 44 out of 45 extra points. He even tied a school record by kicking a very long 52-yard field goal. Because of his great performance, he was named to the first-team Class 3A All-State team. He also received an honorable mention as a USA Today All-American.

College Football Journey

Bill Gramatica received a football scholarship to Florida State University. He spent his first year as a "redshirt" player, which means he practiced with the team but didn't play in games. This allowed him to gain experience without using up a year of his college playing eligibility.

Moving to South Florida

In 1997, Bill competed for the starting kicker position but decided to leave Florida State. On October 7, 1997, he announced he was transferring to the University of South Florida.

As a sophomore in 1998, he quickly made an impact at South Florida. He set new school records by making 16 field goals and 46 extra points. He scored a total of 94 points that season. His excellent play earned him second-team Division I-AA All-American honors.

In 1999, during his junior year, Bill faced a challenge. He had a groin injury that limited his playing time. Despite the injury, he still made 4 out of 5 field goals.

Record-Breaking Senior Year

His senior year in 2000 was another strong season. He made 16 field goals and 29 extra points. In the final game of the season, he kicked an amazing 63-yard field goal! This set a new school record and tied a Division I-AA record for the longest field goal ever. After Bill graduated, his younger brother Santiago took over as the kicker for South Florida.

Bill finished his college career holding many kicking records at the University of South Florida. These included the most career field goals (36) and the longest field goal (63 yards). In 2016, he was honored by being named to the school's all-time team.

Professional Football Career

Bill Gramatica began his professional career in the National Football League (NFL).

Time with the Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals chose Bill in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL draft. As a rookie, he quickly became the team's starting kicker. His NFL career started very well.

However, in a game on December 15, 2001, something unusual happened. After successfully kicking a 42-yard field goal, Bill jumped up to celebrate. When he landed, he accidentally tore a ligament in his right knee. Even with this serious injury, he bravely continued to kick one more field goal and two extra points in that game! He was then placed on the injured reserve list. He finished his rookie season making 16 out of 20 field goals and all 25 of his extra points. He even set a team rookie record with 73 points scored.

In 2002, Bill returned as the Cardinals' starting kicker. He made 15 out of 21 field goals and all 29 of his extra points. In 2003, he played in fewer games due to a back injury and was later released by the team.

Short Stays with Other Teams

In 2004, Bill signed with the New York Giants but was released before the season started. Later that year, he joined the Miami Dolphins for one game. He made all 3 of his field goals but missed his first career extra point, which was tough because his team lost by just one point to his old team, the Arizona Cardinals. After that game, he was released.

Bill Gramatica ended his NFL career having made 37 out of 48 field goals (77.1% accuracy) and 60 out of 61 extra points (98.4% accuracy).

Arena Football League

After his time in the NFL, Bill Gramatica played in the Arena Football League (AFL). In 2005, he signed with the Tampa Bay Storm. He played for them in 2006 before leaving the team in 2007.

Life After Football

Bill Gramatica and his brothers have used their experiences to help others.

Building Stronger Homes

After his brother Martin saw the damage from Hurricane Katrina, the Gramatica brothers wanted to help. They looked for ways to build houses that could stand up to strong storms like hurricanes. In 2009, Bill, Martin, and Santiago started a company called SIPS International. This company uses special building panels called Structural Insulated Panel Systems (SIPS). These panels are good for the environment and protect homes from extreme weather like hurricanes and earthquakes.

The Gramatica family has helped build strong, affordable homes in places like New Orleans and Tampa. They have also worked in other countries, including Israel, Argentina, and Haiti. Bill has said that helping people this way is very rewarding. He believes it's important to provide safer homes that also save money on energy.

Helping Veterans and the Community

The Gramatica brothers also noticed a need to support people in their local community, especially military veterans who were injured in combat. They work with other groups to help veterans returning from duty who might be facing health or money problems.

To help even more people, the Gramatica brothers founded the Gramatica Family Foundation. This non-profit organization helps disabled military veterans, people who are less fortunate, and those who are sick. They focus on providing energy-efficient housing and development support.

Bill Gramatica is also a successful realtor in the Tampa area, helping many people find homes.

See also

In Spanish: Bill Gramática para niños