Austin senior Riley Grinstead has always gotten his kicks on the soccer field.

Grinstead is a four-year starter at midfield for the Packers, but this fall he wanted to try something a little different. He wanted to try place-kicking with the Packer football team. After a few practice sessions with his friends and with the football team, Grinstead was kicking for the Austin football team in its season opener against Rochester Mayo at Art Hass Stadium.

“I was a little nervous for the first one,” Grinstead said. “Now that I’ve got it out of the way, it’ll be fun.”

The very next day Grinstead was back at Art Hass Stadium as the Packer boys soccer team held its home opener. He still puts soccer first, but he’s willing to make a little extra time to help out the football team on Friday nights.

Austin head football coach Brett Vesel was glad that Grinstead approached him about kicking for his team.

When he can, Grinstead will practice little with the football. At a recent practice, he hit a 50-yard field goal with the wind at his back.

“He picked it up pretty quick. He’s still got to learn a lot, because we do a million things in the kicking game. Our special teams practice with the kicking game is intense,” Vesel said. “It definitely helps to have a great kicker. It really allows you to do some things in the game that some teams can’t. We have great range now.”

Austin head soccer coach Jens Levisen was fine with letting Grinstead kick for the Packer football team. He simply told Grinstead to make sure he doesn’t miss any practice time with the soccer team and to make sure he has a way to get to Saturday soccer games after Friday night football games. Levisen is also hoping Grinstead can stay healthy.

“I’d say I have a pretty strong relationship with the players, and I want to see them enjoy whatever they’re doing,” Levisen said. “I haven’t coached players in the past that have done kicking [for the football team], but when I was in high school we had a soccer player that did it.”

Grinstead said last year a few of the football players were egging him on and telling him to kick for them. This year he finally gave into their pleas.

“I never thought anything of it before, and this year I thought I might as well try it because I’ve got nothing to lose,” Grinstead said. “I tried it, and I enjoyed it.”

The student section was chanting Grinstead’s name in the first two games of the season as he went 10-for-11 on PATs, with his lone miss being blocked. The name chants were a different feeling for Grinstead, because he doesn’t always get noticed on the soccer field. As a midfielder, Grinstead doesn’t usually score or save a goal. He simply needs to help keep the Packers in possession.

It’s a vital role, but it’s not one that is going to get too many fans worked up.

Levisen said Grinstead is one of the better leaders on the team who gives it his all when he’s on the soccer team.

“Riley’s not in the glory position,” Levisen said. “He’s in the position where he tries to keep the ball out of the net, and he tries to set up his teammates. There’s not a lot of glory in that, but he works hard for his team, and he’s a very valuable asset.”

Grinstead probably gets a little more glory with the football team, especially if he ends up kicking a big field goal this season, but he’s not about to forget his soccer roots.

Grinstead gave up wrestling last season to focus on soccer, and it remains his primary sport.

“I like soccer a lot more. Football is a side thing. I approach every [soccer] game to be one of the leaders on the field, and I like to set the tempo right away. I’m one of the captains on the field now. I’ve got to hustle and get things done,” Grinstead said. “I’d love to get to state. It’s one of our goals, and I think we have a good chance.”