The Kick Is Good: Lucas Havrisik’s Road to Confidence

Trust the work, quiet the noise, and find peace in the pressure. Placekicker Lucas Havrisik has learned to always carry that with him.

by David Goriola
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA - APRIL 11: Lucas Havrisik #43 of Arlington Renegades kicks a field goal during the second quarter against the Birmingham Stallions at Protective Stadium on April 11, 2025 in Birmingham, Alabama

A Kick Found by Chance

Lucas Havrisik didn’t grow up dreaming of field goals or packed football stadiums. His first love was soccer. Ronaldinho was his idol, and his days were spent in the backyard mimicking free kicks and perfecting his touch with the kind of obsession only a kid with a dream can know. Kicking a football wasn’t even on his radar until a classmate saw him boot a soccer ball halfway across a field and told him, “We need a kicker.”

That moment sparked a journey he never could’ve scripted. By his sophomore year, he was on varsity drilling kick after kick. It all introduced him to a new world of possibility. “Football was never the plan,” he said. “But I prayed about it. When Arizona came calling with a scholarship, it felt like the right door to walk through.”

 

Peace in Pressure

If you ask Lucas about pressure, he won’t talk about nerves, only preparation. “All the confidence comes from the work,” he said. He’s made kicks in front of NFL crowds, including two field goals in his debut for the Rams at AT&T Stadium, and a game-tying boot in Baltimore. But ask him about adrenaline, and he’ll shrug. “I get more nervous playing ping pong for game point than some kicks,” he said with a smile.

Still, he knows the weight of the job. “There’s only one kicker per team,” he said. “Sometimes you only get one shot. That’s the challenge, and I like a challenge.” 

Over time, he's developed a mental routine built on prayer, self-talk, and total trust. “I just say ‘trust’ in my head. Trust the wind read. Trust the swing. Trust the work. I'm not super technical. I just trust and  kick the ball.”

BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA - APRIL 11: Lucas Havrisik #43 of Arlington Renegades kicks a field goal during the second quarter against the Birmingham Stallions at Protective Stadium on April 11, 2025 in Birmingham, Alabama

Brotherhood and Belief

Now with the Arlington Renegades, Lucas has found a rhythm and a family. He’s one of the youngest players on the roster, but he’s soaking in every conversation with veteran teammates. “There’s always something to learn,” he reflected.

The Renegades locker room, he says, just hits different. “It’s real here,” he said. “The chemistry, the friendships. We’ve got a group chat just for video games—it’s that kind of tight.” It’s the kind of environment that lets a player breathe, settle in, and remember why he started: the love of the game, the joy in the work, and the satisfaction that comes from doing what you’re made to do.