Placekicking

  1. Choose Your Approach
  2. Warm-ups
  3. Stretching
  4. Kicking routine
  5. Mental routine
  6. Proper distance and angle from the ball at ball address
  7. Foot placement at ball address
  8. Position of arms, shoulders and hips at ball address
  9. Where to look when waiting for the ball to be snapped
  10. What to think as the ball is snapped
  11. Timing with the center, holder and you
  12. When to start the take-off for the kick
  13. Steps
  14. Where to look when approaching the ball
  15. Proper take-off toward the ball
  16. Foot speed at the approach
  17. Position of hips and shoulders at ball approach
  18. Position of arms at ball approach
  19. Position of kicking foot prior to the kick
  20. Positions of kicking thigh and knee at explosion into the ball
  21. Position of arms at contact
  22. Foot placement and angle of planting foot at contact
  23. Position of head at contact.
  24. Position of shoulders at contact
  25. Position of hips at contact
  26. What part of the ball to kick
  27. What part of the foot kicks the ball
  28. Position of laces, tilt and angle of the ball on contact
  29. Ball rotation on contact
  30. Position of head during follow-through
  31. Position of shoulders during follow-through
  32. Position of arms during follow-through
  33. Position of planting foot during follow-through
  34. Position of hips during follow-through
  35. Position of kicking foot during follow-through
  36. Position of head after follow-through
  37. Position of kicking foot after follow-through
  38. Where to land after follow-through
  39. Speed of ball rotation after the kick
  40. Holding the ball
  41. Which hand to hold the ball
  42. Wind direction and speed
  43. Temperature
  44. Seam vs. panel vs. laces
  45. Accuracy
  46. Indicator as to why the kick missed
  47. Increasing traction
  48. Kick-off
  49. Normal kick-off
  50. On-side kick-off
  51. Practice Drills
  52. Height
  53. Maximum Distance
  54. Quick kick
  55. Bad holder
  56. Weekly workout schedule
  57. Game day schedule
  58. Miscellaneous
  59. Adjustments for missed kicks
  60. Injuries
  61. Weight training
  62. Equipmen
  63. Glossary

Warm-ups

Warm up properly. Slowly jog around the field. Jogging warms the muscles in preparation for the stretching exercises.

Stretching

Do not bounce in any stretch. Stretch your muscles slowly to avoid muscle pulls.

  • Groin stretch. Sit Indian-style with the soles of your feet touching. Hold your ankles while using your elbows to push your knees down towards the ground to the count of 10. Repeat 5 times. [See picture 1.]
  • Hurdler’s stretch. Bring your head forward toward your outstretched leg, then bring your shoulders back toward the ground. Repeat procedure 5 times. Reverse legs and repeat 5 times. [See pictures 2-4.]
  • Thigh stretch. Get on your knees and sit back on your heels. Slowly lower your shoulders back toward the ground until they are on or near the ground. Stretch for at least 2 minutes. [See picture 5.]
  • Toe touch. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Bend at your waist until your palms touch the ground. [See picture 6.]
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Kicking Routine

Take 15-20 slow air kicks (do not actually kick the ball). With each kick, increase the range of motion of the follow-through.

Start with extra points to stretch your muscles some more. NEVER KICK BEFORE TAKING A LAP, STRETCHING AND PRACTICING AIR KICKS.

Mental Routine

Prior to attempting a field goal or extra point, visualize (picture) performing the perfect kick. Your body will perform what you have visualized.

Proper distance and angle from the ball at ball address

Starting with your planting (non-kicking) foot next to the tee. Face the goal posts and walk 3 steps straight back. Draw an imaginary line from where you are standing through the kicking tee and to the center of the goal posts; make an adjustment so the line goes through the center of the goal posts. As you face the goal post (for right-footed kickers), take 2½ steps to the left. This is the general area from which to kick. Minor adjustments will be made later as you learn adjustment techniques.

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