In 2023, Reed participated in the Kohl’s National Scholarship Showcase, scoring 11 points in field goal charting and earning an 88.23 overall, with a top kick of 61 yards.
The previous year, at the Kohl’s Winter Showcase in Los Angeles, he had hit a 52-yard field goal, meaning he improved by nine yards in just one year.
Reed described the necessity of repetition and that accuracy can only be built. Reed was once focused on following the team in the weight room and concentrating on gaining muscle. He shifted his focus to working on specialized exercises to train his legs and improve his speed.
“Kicking is 75% contact and 25% power,” said Reed.
Having the biggest legs was not a necessity and that being a good kicker isn’t about how strong one is, but how fast one can be.
Being a kicker, however, can sometimes feel isolating.
“I feel like I have to prove myself to them,” Reed said.
Kickers often spend only a small portion of practice with the rest of the team. Still, Reed remains a crucial part of Arroyo Grande’s field position strategy.
“Dustin holds a large role; he’s a hard worker with a good attitude,” said Coach Stephen Field.
Reed described his biggest strength outside of being a kicker as staying calm under pressure. An important character trait that reflects the many years of being a kicker and having many of the team’s points rely upon him.
Reed describes kicking as “therapeutic.” He thinks that kicking can be satisfying when he hears the noise of the ball as he first makes contact.
“Kicking can give you the highest of highs and the lowest of lows,” said Reed. “All the hours are worth it with a good kick.”
Reed’s journey has taken him far beyond AGHS’s home field. He’s trained across the country by going to camps, competing in showcases, and dedicating entire summers to improving.
His family has been by his side every step of the way, traveling from Forest Grove, OR, to Sacramento, Arizona, Berkeley, CA, and Kansas to support him. His mom even took a second job to help cover travel costs.
Getting to his comfortable field goal range is a process he takes step by step, starting with the superstition that the ball must not be left waiting on the tee during the game.
Like any athlete, he’s faced setbacks. One of his toughest moments came during a slippery away game in Bakersfield last year, when he left a ball sitting on the tee, something he now considers bad luck.
“It was the worst mistake,” he said.
He wasn’t used to the conditions of the field or the weather, causing him to lose his footing on the turf. From that experience, he learned a lesson he still carries with him today, thanks to advice from a former coach.
“There is always another kicker; there is always another camp; focus on the future, not the bad,” said Reed’s prior coach.
Reed took two months away from football and then realized that it was an opportunity to train harder and to be better. He spent time creating and perfecting new drills, such as setting the ball on the line, and kicking it down-line over and over again, to get the ball to land back on the line every time.
For Reed, football isn’t just about the points or records– even though his personal best stands at an impressive 57-yard field goal.
It’s about dedication, growth, and resilience. As he continues his senior year and prepares for his college career, Reed’s focus remains clear: keep improving, stay grounded, and continue looking to the future.
