CHULA VISTA, Calif. (KGTV) - Some two decades before Jason Myers kicked a record-setting five field goals in Super Bowl 60, he was perfecting his craft on the field at Mater Dei Catholic in Chula Vista.
John Joyner, who coached Myers during his junior and senior years, admits he was a bundle of nerves watching the game.
"After the first one went in—the first one I was pretty nervous—but he was perfect all night," Joyner said. "I started rooting for New England to stop Seattle in field goal range."
Joyner remembers when he first met Myers as a young athlete.
"When I first met Jason, he barely came up to my waist," Joyner said. "He was a little guy, but he kind of matured quickly."
Myers was actually a better soccer player at the time. As a midfielder, he helped lead his team to a regional championship.
"Jason was always intense, always serious," Joyner said. "Very serious about his craft and being an athlete."
But it was on the football field where Myers' special talent became apparent.
"When he got on the football field, and he kicked the football, it sounded different than the rest of the other kickers," Joyner said. "So we knew right there, this guy has got to be pretty special."
Myers' achievements are displayed on the Mater Dei Hall of Fame wall, including being named South Bay kicker of the year as a junior and being part of a league championship team.
Joyner's favorite memory of Myers came during a crucial moment against Bonita Vista High on Halloween.
"I remember my favorite moment was he kicked a 42-yard field goal to win the game against Bonita Vista with little time remaining," Joyner said. "It was a big upset for us. Right then, I realized he has ice in his veins."
Myers' Super Bowl performance has generated online chatter suggesting he was robbed of the MVP award.
“Yes, I'm biased, but he should have been noted MVP," Joyner said.
After the game, Joyner reached out to congratulate his former player.
"I sent him a text to congratulate him," Joyner said. "I told him I hope he's getting some rest. He said he had just gotten done with a national talk show. Hopefully he's getting some rest now."
The Super Bowl performance adds to Myers' already impressive legacy, and he maintains strong ties to his high school.
"He's a top-notch guy," Joyner said. "He always comes back and kicks with our kickers."
For Joyner and the Mater Dei community, seeing one of their own succeed on the biggest stage is deeply meaningful.
"You see one of our own on the biggest stage. he has love for us, and we have love for him," Joyner said. "It's kind of surreal. He’s earned everything. We're so proud of him."
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
