Renaldo Johnson doesn’t have to be the biggest, fastest, or loudest player on the football field to make his presence felt.
Sometimes all Jack Yates High School needs is for its junior kicker to line up and trust his leg.
Johnson did exactly that against Madison High School, connecting on a personal-best 43-yard field goal in Yates’ 30-6 victory. But the kick was more than a career milestone. It was another chapter in a football journey that began with a soccer ball, an eighth-grade gym class, and a teacher who saw Johnson’s potential before he ever saw it in himself.
“When I lined up for the 43-yarder, the only thing on my mind was that I could do it,” said Johnson. “Whenever Yates gets inside 40 yards, I am very confident because I know I can make that field goal 10 out of 10 times. Setting a personal record means I now have a new goal to kick farther in a game.”
“As his coach, I see more than what happens on Friday nights,” said Yates head football coach Jason Lewis. “I see the preparation during the week, the repetitions when no one is watching, and how seriously he takes his responsibility to the team.”
Last year, Yates had an offense loaded with weapons, enabling the team to finish most drives with touchdowns. As a result, Johnson didn’t get many opportunities to attempt field goals and primarily handled extra points.
Still, he gained valuable varsity experience, making 52 of 58 extra-point attempts and two field goals during the season.
“His performance earned him first-team all-district recognition. This year, his leg has gotten noticeably stronger, as evidenced by 7 touchbacks in our first 3 games,” said Lewis. “I’ve also seen him perform outside our program. At the Kicking World Houston camp, he made a FG from the 50 yd line and tied for the Last Man Standing field-goal competition while kicking in windy conditions.”
Johnson’s confidence in his leg may be growing on the football field, but his ability to strike a ball began long before he ever put on a football helmet.
Johnson explained that his love for soccer was deeply rooted in his childhood because it was the sport everyone around him played. He mentioned that Cristiano Ronaldo was his favorite player and that Ronaldo’s example inspired him as a young player, showing him the importance of hard work.
In eighth grade at Cullen Middle School, Johnson caught the attention of his physical education teacher, George Walker Jr., who later became a significant influence.
“We were in gym class, and Renaldo asked for a soccer ball to play with while others were playing basketball,” said Walker. “It caught me off guard, but I got him a soccer ball, and he was amazing with it. I was so impressed by his skills that I asked him if he thought he could kick a football. He chuckled and said, ‘Yeah, coach, that’s easy.’ I took my class to the field, and he kicked it over the bar, and the class went crazy.”
Walker saw something in Johnson before Johnson knew where his kicking ability might take him. But when Johnson arrived at Yates, soccer remained a major part of his life.
After enrolling at Yates, Johnson didn’t immediately start playing football. He was still playing club soccer for Pearland Soccer Club. Although he wanted to try football, playing both sports simultaneously was difficult financially and logistically.
“The main thing that made balancing both sports difficult was the timing of the practices. Soccer and football practices were held at the same time,” said Johnson.
With a decision to make and his future in mind, Johnson took a chance on football, believing he had a better opportunity to earn a college scholarship through the sport.
“Whenever Yates gets inside 40 yards, I am very confident because I know I can make that field goal 10 out of 10 times,” said Renaldo Johnson.
Once Johnson decided to focus on football full-time, Walker noticed that Johnson began taking the game more seriously.
“Especially when I told him about the possibility of receiving a football scholarship that would sponsor his education,” said Walker.
Johnson’s decision to focus on football came at a pivotal moment. His sophomore season quickly gave him reason to believe he had made the right choice.
In his sophomore season, Yates achieved an 8-0 record in district games, secured first place in 4A-1 Region III District 11, and reached the second playoff round before a 35-27 loss to Pine Tree of Longview.
“Going 8-0 and making the playoffs taught me to trust my teammates and always believe in myself,” said Johnson. “The loss to Pine Tree showed we have the talent to make a state run, but we have to stay focused for all four quarters.”
Johnson’s growth has extended beyond what he does on the field.
“From eighth grade to the present, Renaldo has matured into an incredible young man who prioritizes his responsibilities in the appropriate order,” said Walker. “That comes from the culture at our school from our incredible administration team and our head football coach, Jason Lewis, who has played a major role in Renaldo’s growth as a student-athlete and young man.”
For Walker, Johnson’s development has been a journey years in the making. The person who first saw potential in a soccer player is now helping develop that same player on the Yates sideline.
Walker first saw Johnson kick a ball at Cullen Middle School. Years later, Walker is one of Johnson’s coaches at Jack Yates.
Thank you, (@KickingWorld) I really enjoyed the camp today!! @Coach_ISweeney @GeorgeWalkerJr8 @jason_Lewis_62 https://t.co/H4kjMUJ78U
— Renaldo Johnson 28’ (@RENALDOJOHNSON0) April 20, 2026
“It’s very rewarding and a true pleasure to see the young people you taught continue to blossom,” said Walker. “There are special things and special people at Jack Yates High School, and Renaldo is definitely one of them. I’m extremely proud of the young man he is becoming.”
Johnson understands how important Walker has been throughout his development.
“Having Coach Walker still involved in my football journey, after he was the one who first encouraged me to try the sport, means everything,” said Johnson. “If I’m feeling any doubt, I can talk to him, and he’ll reassure me.”
What began with one teacher recognizing a young soccer player’s potential has now become a relationship that continues every Friday night under the lights.
“Having a reliable kicker like Renaldo for this year’s Yates football team has shown me he can perform under pressure in a competitive environment,” said Lewis. “When we send Renaldo onto the field, we’re trusting him to finish the job and put points on the board. That takes more than having a strong leg. It takes technique, consistency, focus, and the ability to handle pressure. When the game is on the line, and we’re within his range, I have confidence sending him onto the field because I’ve seen the work he’s put in to prepare for that moment.”
Renaldo’s ability to kick from 40-plus yards has also changed how Yates approaches the game on offense.
“We don’t always have to get inside the red zone to come away with points,” said Lewis. “Once we cross midfield and get within his range, we know we have a legitimate opportunity to put three points on the board. Therefore, I don’t have to feel like we have to force a play on fourth down.”
Johnson’s goals this season include earning first-team all-district honors, winning a state title, and receiving college offers.
He has already shown he can turn his confidence into points. Now, as a junior, he wants his leg to help Yates turn those opportunities into something bigger.
“When Yates gets inside 40 yards, I know for sure my team can depend on me to deliver three points,” said Johnson.
