BY FRED JETERTIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER 

CHRIS SEGAAR Richmond Bandits Player Stereotypically, pro football place-kickers aren't athletic enough to trade blows and match strides at more physically taxing positions.

Chris Segaar gives that myth a kick in the pants.

"Chris might be our fastest player," Richmond Bandits coach Brent Williams said. "This kid is amazing. He can play all over . . . and will."

The Bandits roster lists the former Virginia Tech Hokie (lettered as a receiver in 1996) as WR/DB/K . . . or in other words, "Captain Slash."

The 6-foot 180-pounder filled in on offense and defense a year ago for the American Indoor Football League's inaugural champion Bandits.

This winter, he's been too valuable -- and too busy -- as a kicker to be tried elsewhere. After two games (1-1), Segaar is 15 for 16 on PATs.He turns his own kickoffs into a point-producing play. In arena ball, one point is credited for a kickoff that splits the uprights. It's called a rouge, and Segaar has five of them. 

He turns his own kickoffs into a point-producing play. In arena ball, one point is credited for a kickoff that splits the uprights. It's called a rouge, and Segaar has five of them.

"It's a bonus, for sure," Segaar said of what amounts to 60-yard, one-point field goals.

There was a time when Segaar didn't want to be thought of as a kicker. Now, he sees that position as being his ticket to higher places.

"From a pride standpoint, I didn't want the kicker label," he said. "I always considered myself too athletic for that. Now, I'm starting to concentrate on it. My goal is to make it to the Arena 1 League . . . even the NFL."

For his day job, Segaar serves as director of marketing for Velocity Performance -- a sports training facility.

Segaar's scrapbook is brimming with football and soccer headlines.In helping Annandale to the 1993 Group AAA state football title, he made a game-winning field goal in the semifinals vs. Thomas Dale. Then, he had a 54-yard touchdown reception in the final against Pulaski. 

At the time, football was his second sport. He was also first-team all-state in soccer.Segaar's speed made him a natural for any sport. Asked how he ranked among Bandits in sprinting, he said: "Rumor has it I'm in the top three."

He enrolled at Tech as a recruited walk-on with the idea of playing both sports.

"At the time, my goal was pro soccer," he said.

Segaar dabbled with several pro squads. He spent six months in England trying to catch up.  When it didn't work out, in part due to visa problems, he returned home and served as Annandale's head soccer and assistant football coach.

During that time, he kicked and ran patterns for My Plumber -- a three-time national flag football champion.

This past fall, he served as the kicker/field player for Young Gunz in Richmond's Weekend Warrior Flag League. His teammates included former Tech teammate Brian Still.

Segaar has focused on football without cutting his soccer strings.He was 10 for 10 on PATs (plus three rouges) in a victory over Florence on Saturday. On Sunday night, he competed in an indoor soccer league at RISE.

He's addicted, he says, to double duty.

"I have a problem . . . I can't give it up," he says with a laugh.