Making the Pro Bowl wasn't a childhood dream for Dallas Cowboys punter Mat McBriar.

It rarely is for youngsters in Melbourne, Australia.

McBriar, a University of Hawai'i alum, averaged 48.2 yards on 56 punts this season and will play in his first Pro Bowl Saturday at Aloha Stadium.

Not bad for a guy who grew up playing Australian Rules Football, and only got serious about punting "since maybe a month before my 18th birthday."

"You can set dreams later in life," he said. "They don't have to be childhood ones. It's something that I had a lot of belief in I could do. But along the way you need some breaks and you need a little luck and people supporting you as well."

McBriar saw a couple of familiar media members after the NFC's practice yesterday at the Ihilani Resort.

When told he was the most popular punter in Pro Bowl history, McBriar joked: "Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever."

McBriar was recruited to Hawai'i on a tip from Darren Bennett, a fellow Australian who punted for Jones while with the San Diego Chargers. McBriar punted for the Warriors from 2000-02.

"Back when I was in Australia, like in high school, we didn't really have much media coverage of the NFL, and I didn't have any idea about the rules," McBriar said. "I just kicked the ball a few times."

He is the first player from the June Jones era (1999 to present) to be named to the Pro Bowl.

"Obviously we're proud of him," Jones said. "I knew he had potential the first time I saw him kick."

Things didn't start out smoothly at UH for McBriar, who "dropped one of three" snaps, according to Jones.

But Jones added: "Once he learned how to take the snap and learn the steps, the rest is history."

As a senior, McBriar averaged 44.8 yards on 48 punts and was named to the All-Western Athletic Conference first team.

He went undrafted, signed with the Denver Broncos in late April 2003, but was traded to the Seattle Seahawks four months later. McBriar was released, then signed with Dallas in 2004.

McBriar's average per punt this season (48.2) was the highest in the NFL in 43 seasons. His average was nearly six yards better than each of his previous two seasons.

"Mat's a great punter and he did a great job this year," said Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo. "I think you can never say how important special teams is and a guy like that giving you field position is a great advantage."

Playing in the Pro Bowl will be a "pit stop" for McBriar and his family before they fly to Australia.

"I love coming back here. We try to get back here as often as we can. It's really exciting," McBriar said.

He'll be an unofficial tour guide for his teammates this week.

"Bring it on," McBriar said. "I will definitely take the guys around and show them a good time."

The Cowboys finished 9-7 this season, but lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Seattle Seahawks. He's enjoying his time in Dallas.

"I love it out there and I hope I stay there for a while," McBriar said.

He added he likes his teammates and the media attention the team gets.

"It's never boring. There is always something going on," McBriar said. "I feel like I've been blessed to experience it all."

He said he was a little surprised when coach Bill Parcells retired late last month.

"A lot of the guys were kind of shocked," McBriar said. "We all wish him the best. I really thought he'd come back and help us along. We really have quite a team. We just underachieved a little."

Reach Kyle Sakamoto at ksakamoto@honoluluadvertiser.com.