Hoover mayor, council name Alabama football kicker Will Reichard a 'hometown hero'

February 19, 2024

11:22 PM

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Photo by Jon Anderson

Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato presents a "hometown hero" plaque to former Hoover High and Alababma football kicker Will Reichard during a Hoover City Council meeting at Hoover City Hall on Monday, Feb. 19, 2024.

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Former Hoover High football coach Josh Niblett talks about former Hoover and Alabama football kicker Will Reichard during a reception for Reichard at Hoover City Hall on Monday, Feb. 19, 2024. Reichard was honored by the Hoover mayor and City Council as a "hometown hero" for breaking the NCAA record for most points scored by any football player.

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Photo by Jon Anderson

Dana Swanner, the mother of former Hoover High and Alabama football kicker Will Reichard, gives Reichard a hugh during a reception for him at Hoover City Hall on Monday, Feb. 19, 2024.

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Photo by Jon Anderson

Former Hoover High football coach Josh Niblett and his wife, Karon Niblett, share a live video call with former Hoover and Alabama football kicker Will Reichard during a reception for Reichard at Hoover City Hall on Monday, Feb. 19, 2024. Reichard was honored by the Hoover mayor and City Council as a "hometown hero" for breaking the NCAA record for most points scored by any football player.

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Photo by Jon Anderson

Dana Swanner, the mother of former Hoover High and Alabama football kicker Will Reichard, gives remarks during a recepton for Reichard at Hoover City Hall on Monday, Feb. 19, 2024.

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Photo by Jon Anderson

Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato and the Hoover City Council on Monday, Feb. 19, 2024, present former Hoover High and Alabama football kicker Will Reichard with a proclamation naming him a "hometown hero" for breaking the NCAA record for most points scored by any football player.

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Photo by Jon Anderson

Former Hoover High football coach Josh Niblett talks about former Hoover and Alabama kicker Will Reichard during a Hoover City Council meeting at Hoover City Hall on Monday, Feb. 19, 2024.

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Photo by Jon Anderson

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Photo by Jon Anderson

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Photo by Jon Anderson

Hoover High School Principal Jennifer Hogan talks about former Hoover and Alabama football kicker Will Reichard during a Hoover City Council meeting at Hoover City Hall on Monday, Feb. 19, 2024. Reichard, left, was honored as a "hometown hero" for breaking the NCAA record for most points scored by any football player.

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Photo by Jon Anderson

Former Hoover High and Alabama football kicker Will Reichard thanks the city of Hoover for its support after receiving a "hometown hero" proclamation from Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato and the Hoover City Council at Hoover City Hall on Monday, Feb. 19, 2024.

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Photo by Jon Anderson

Hoover High School Principal Jennifer Hogan talks about former Hoover and Alabama football kicker Will Reichard during a Hoover City Council meeting at Hoover City Hall on Monday, Feb. 19, 2024.

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Photo by Jon Anderson

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Photo by Jon Anderson

Former Hoover High and Alabama football kicker Will Reichard gives a few remarks after receiving a "hometown hero" proclamation at Hoover City Hall on Monday, Feb. 19, 2024, for breaking the NCAA record for most points scored by any football player.

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Photo by Jon Anderson

Former Hoover High football coach Josh Niblett and his wife, Karon Niblett, talk with former Hoover and Alabama football kicker Will Reichard during a reception for Reichard at Hoover City Hall on Monday, Feb. 19, 2024. Reichard was honored by the Hoover mayor and City Council as a "hometown hero" for breaking the NCAA record for most points scored by any football player.

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Photo by Jon Anderson

Hoover High School Principal Jennifer Hogan talks about former Hoover and Alabama football kicker Will Reichard during a reception for Reichard at Hoover City Hall on Monday, Feb. 19, 2024. Reichard was honored by the Hoover mayor and City Council as a "hometown hero" for breaking the NCAA record for most points scored by any football player.

The city of Hoover on Monday night paid tribute to 2019 Hoover High graduate Will Reichard, with the mayor and City Council naming him a “hometown hero” for breaking the record for most points scored by any NCAA football player.

More than 100 people showed up at Hoover City Hall for the reading of a proclamation for Reichard, who played as a kicker for Alabama Crimson Tide, during Monday’s Hoover City Council meeting and a reception held for Reichard afterward in the community room at City Hall.

The previous record for most points scored by an NCAA football player was 530 points by formery Navy quarterback Keenan Reynolds. Reichard broke that record on Dec. 2 during the SEC championship game in Atlanta with a field goal kick against Georgia, and he went on to cap off his college career on New Year’s Day during the Rose Bowl in Pasadena against Michigan, achieving a new NCAA record of 547 points, including 84 field goals and 298 extra points after touchdowns.

The crowd Monday night included numerous former coaches and teachers of Reichard, as well as family and friends who supported him while he was growing up in Hoover.

Josh Niblett, who was Reichard’s coach at Hoover High, came from Georgia to pay tribute to Reichard and said he’d be surprised if anybody is able to beat Reichard’s record.

“I’m so proud of him, and I love him to death,” Niblett said during the council meeting. “It’s been awesome to watch. It couldn’t happen to a more awesome guy. He’s an awesome player, but he’s even awesome as a person, and so is his family.”

Photo by Jon Anderson

Later, during the reception for Reichard, Niblett said Reichard has that special something that allows people to take things to a whole new level, no matter what comes their way.

Reichard’s father, Gary Reichard, played a big role in helping his son develop as a kicker in his youth, but Gary died in March 2016. Reichard (the son) then tore his ACL while playing in a soccer tournament held in memory of his father and wasn’t able to play football his sophomore year.

But Reichard continued to show up and be part of the team and started kicking again as soon as doctors cleared him. He worked hard and consistently, Niblett said.

“You’ve got to be willing to show up every day no matter what’s going on in your life,” Niblett said.

Reichard, a man of conviction, also showed great conviction in the way he conducted himself in high school, Niblett said.

“I’ve learned more from you than you’ve probably ever learned from me,” Niblett told him. “The legacy you left behind is going to speak volumes for those who come after you.”

Hoover High Principal Jennifer Hogan, who was an assistant principal while Reichard was at Hoover, said it’s an honor to get to talk about him.

“We are so proud of him at Hoover High School,” Hogan said. “We not only want our athletes to excel athletically, but also with their character, and Will Reichard is a pure example of having excellent character. He represents Hoover High School well, himself, his family, the state and this city right here. We are so proud of you.”

Photo by Jon Anderson

The proclamation from Mayor Frank Brocato and the City Council noted that Reichard is the Alabama football team’s career record holder for most field goals, 50-plus-yard field goals (10) and extra points.

The proclamation also noted that Reichard began kicking field goals in elementary school and was kicking 35-yard field goals by the age of 11 when no other kids were even kicking field goals.

He was the nation’s top-ranked kicker and No. 2 punter his senior year in high school, making 27 of 29 field goal attempts and was perfect on extra points, making all 109 attempts. He received scholarship offers from Auburn, LSU, Oklahoma, Oregon and Georgia but chose to accept a scholarship offer from Alabama, where he played for Nick Saban and was named a Second Team All-American by The Sporting News and CBS Sports and Third Team All-American by the Associated Press.

David Bannister, a longtime supporter of Hoover High athletics who organized Monday’s celebration, noted that Reichard scored more points than any of the other 976,886 college football players since 1869, making him truly “one in a million.”

“He’s the best there’s ever been, and we believe he’ll be the best there ever will be,” Bannister said.

Dana Swanner, Reichard’s mother, said the times their family spent going to kicker training camps, competitions, football games and recruiting visits across the country provided many wonderful memories. Reichard’s dad had encouraged him to point up to God after making kicks as a way to show thanks to God, and after his father’s death, “it became a symbol to point to his heavenly father and his earthly father,” she said.

“The warmup routine that Will uses today remains the same that he and his father made together so many years ago,” she said.

Photo by Jon Anderson

Dana Swanner, the mother of former Hoover High and Alabama football kicker Will Reichard, gives Reichard a hugh during a reception for him at Hoover City Hall on Monday, Feb. 19, 2024.

Moving forward after her husband’s death was difficult for the family, but they received a lot of prayer and encouragement from many friends and family, Swanner said.

“Hoover and each of you will always hold a special place in our lives,” she said. “God chose each of you to come along during Will’s life and teach, shape and mold him for such a time as this.

“Hoover is a wonderful place to live, work, go to school, raise your children, play sports and worship freely and so much more,” Swanner said. “We are forever grateful to be a part of this community and thankful for each of you.”

Reichard now is preparing to go to the NFL Combine next week and said he’s excited for the opportunity to demonstrate his skills. The free agent market doesn’t open until March 13, and there could be some trades that occur, so it’s unclear right now which teams will be needing kickers, he said.

Reichard said he’s thankful for all the support everyone has shown to him in Hoover.

“A lot of you in this room nurtured me as a I was growing up while I spent a lot of time developing as a person and a football player, and I really appreciate the support,” he said. “I’m really proud to be from the city of Hoover and always will be.”

See the complete presentation to Reichard and other happenings in the Feb. 19 Hoover City Council meeting on The Hoover Channel's YouTube page.