{"id":1010720,"date":"2026-08-19T12:10:30","date_gmt":"2026-08-19T12:10:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/1010720\/"},"modified":"2026-08-19T12:10:30","modified_gmt":"2026-08-19T12:10:30","slug":"westlake-high-kicker-gabriel-goroyan-is-ready-for-big-moments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/1010720\/","title":{"rendered":"Westlake High kicker Gabriel Goroyan is ready for big moments"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Ninth and final in a series of stories profiling top high school football players by position. Today, Gabriel Goroyan, Westlake kicker.<\/p>\n

Gabriel Goroyan, a senior kicker at Westlake High with a 4.77 grade-point average, revealed stunning news during an interview.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m OK with being normal,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

That goes against everything previously known about kickers. They\u2019re almost always surfer dudes with the fearless spirit of a pole vaulter and the willingness to experiment. If anyone were going to volunteer for a mission to Mars, it would be a kicker.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would like to think I\u2019m not one of the weirder personalities,\u201d Goroyan said.<\/p>\n

He is like most kickers \u2014 a former soccer player. He began in eighth grade when he was still playing soccer but beginning to like kicking.<\/p>\n

\n

For the first time I have found a kicker who says he\u2019s normal. Gabriel Goroyan of Westlake. But he does use his left foot to kick. Starts summer No. 1. pic.twitter.com\/wz0d6CB9YF<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 eric sondheimer (@latsondheimer) June 2, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

At a camp, when he made a 54-yard field goal in a competition, that\u2019s the moment he realized, \u201cI can do this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI started taking it more serious,\u201d he said. \u201cI was hungry for that No. 1 spot.\u201d<\/p>\n

He enters his senior season as No. 1 at his position in the Southland and committed to Stanford. The 5-foot-11, 180-pounder makes booming kickoffs, was 50 of 51 on PATs last season and made seven field goals. He also averaged 40.3 yards on punts. He kicks balls with his left foot, which requires long snappers to make an adjustment and change blocking schemes because most kickers use their right foot.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s never received a grade other than A on his report card at Westlake. His father is Armenian and his mother Bulgarian. He has an 8 handicap in golf and can drive a ball 300 yards from the tee, so if you need a ringer for a charity tournament, Goroyan will play the role.<\/p>\n

He has figured out the mental requirements needed to deal with the highs and lows of being a kicker.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of it is staying calm and not getting too hyped up and too energized,\u201d he said. \u201cl feel a good kicker is able to come back from a miss and a lot of it is being yourself. You have to know not to overthink things and be able to go back to your normal mental state and not get trapped in a cycle of you\u2019re not good enough. A lot of it is trusting yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n

He stands on the sideline waiting for his moment. You\u2019ll never see him asking coach Rick Clausen to put him in for a field goal.<\/p>\n

\u201cI let them tell me,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s all about preparation and routine. His soccer background has provided him the tools to succeed.<\/p>\n

\u201cTrain like a sprinter,\u201d he said. \u201dThat\u2019s where the leg speed comes from. It\u2019s not about having to squat 500 pounds but more being able to run and have fast legs. That\u2019s where the power comes.\u201d<\/p>\n

As for dealing with pressure, Goroyan said camp competitions such as \u201clast man standing,\u201d where you have to make a kick to stay in the competition, provides preparation for a game-winning field-goal attempt that he has yet to experience.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s already demonstrated that he\u2019s different \u2014 otherwise known as normal. When he made that 54-yard field goal, the longest of his career, in eighth grade, he did not scream.<\/p>\n

\u201cI gave a quiet clap and ran to get my ball,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Kickers to watch<\/p>\n

Noah Ahari, Chino Hills, 6-2, 155, Sr. Made nine of 10 field goals last season<\/p>\n

Peter Batsaras, Cypress, 5-10, 170, Sr. A summer of success sets the stage for big senior season<\/p>\n

Ayden Brannum, Fontana, 6-3, 190, Sr. Averaged 48 yards on punts and made 47-yard field goal<\/p>\n

Colin Elia, Temecula Valley, 6-0, 160, Sr. Made 10 of 11 field goals as a junior<\/p>\n

Gabriel Goroyan, Westlake, 5-11, 180, Sr. Stanford commit has worked relentlessly on mastering his technique<\/p>\n

Jackson Hauducoeur, Upland, 5-6, 140, Sr. All-CIF kicker made eight of 10 field goals<\/p>\n

Ethan Miller, San Clemente, 6-2, 175, Jr. Made nine fields, cool under pressure<\/p>\n

Jerry Shifman, Mater Dei, 5-10, 165, Jr. Had nine field goals, with a long of 43 yards<\/p>\n

Carter Sobel, Sierra Canyon, 5-9, 160, Sr. Strong on kickoffs and made nine field goals<\/p>\n

Caleb Sylvia, Mission Viejo, 5-10, 190, Sr. Had 49-yard field goal last season<\/p>\n