CHOOSE YOUR APPROACH

You have two decisions to make.  Will you be a "two-" or "three-step" kicker and will you be a straight-on or soccer-style kicker?  The choice between being straight-on and soccer-style kicker is easy:  be a soccer-style kicker.

Two- or three-step approach

Placekicking can be accomplished using either a Two-Step or Three-Step approach.

Many coaches prefer a Two-Step approach to get to the ball faster.  Some reasons:  the holder is too slow getting the ball down; the center’s snap is too slow; or the offensive line allows penetration.

Advantages to the Two-Step approach:

• Ther is less distance between the kicker and the ball.
  

Advantages to the Three-Step approach:

• Provides more power as a result of the forward movement of the body to the ball.
• Provides greater balance at the approach to the ball.
• Compensates for a bad snap.  Enables you to start-stop-restart your stride and still maintain balance.
• Most high school, college, and pro kickers use the Three-Step approach.

Straight-on or Soccer-sSyle

Most college kickers and all NFL kickers use the soccer-style approach, yet many high school kickers are straight-on kickers because that is what they learned when they were just starting.  

Advantages to Straight-on kicking:

• Easiest to learn.
• Ball gets higher more quickly.
• Requires less contortion of the body, legs, and feet.

Disadvantages to Straight-on kicking:

• Most kids start kicking the ball with the toe, but approach the ball at an angle, thus combining the straight-on and soccer-style approaches without realizing it, resulting in awkward form and decreased accuracy.
• There are very few soccer-style kicking coaches and fewer straight-on kicking coaches.
• Generally not taught in college and not at all in the pros.
• Not as accurate using today’s soccer shoes.  You have to purchase a special straight-on shoe or an attachment for the shoe, both of which are hard to find in local sporting goods stores.
• Attaching the accessory is hard.
• Many kickers also play another position.  Changing into a kicking shoe is time-consuming.
• The ball does not travel as far.
• A kicker using a soccer shoe to kick straight-on has to make contact with approximately a 1” area of the tip of the shoe, magnifying minor form errors.
• Developing leg strength takes a lot longer.

Advantages to Soccer-style kicking:

• More accurate because the soccer-style kicker can use almost a 6” area of the shoe to make contact.
• Minor form errors are not as likely to result in a miss.
• More power in the leg swing, resulting in greater distance.

Disadvantages to Soccer-style kicking:

• THE MOST DIFFICULT POSITION TO MASTER SUCCESSFULLY
• Once learned, there are no disadvantages

Kicking barefoot.

Kicking barefoot is not recommended, as it poses a severe danger to the toes and skin.  Frequently, you will kick the tee and the ground, and it is painful enough to hit either while wearing a shoe, let alone not wearing one.