Placekicking
- Choose Your Approach
- Warm-ups
- Stretching
- Kicking routine
- Mental routine
- Proper distance and angle from the ball at ball address
- Foot placement at ball address
- Position of arms, shoulders and hips at ball address
- Where to look when waiting for the ball to be snapped
- What to think as the ball is snapped
- Timing with the center, holder and you
- When to start the take-off for the kick
- Steps
- Where to look when approaching the ball
- Proper take-off toward the ball
- Foot speed at the approach
- Position of hips and shoulders at ball approach
- Position of arms at ball approach
- Position of kicking foot prior to the kick
- Positions of kicking thigh and knee at explosion into the ball
- Position of arms at contact
- Foot placement and angle of planting foot at contact
- Position of head at contact.
- Position of shoulders at contact
- Position of hips at contact
- What part of the ball to kick
- What part of the foot kicks the ball
- Position of laces, tilt and angle of the ball on contact
- Ball rotation on contact
- Position of head during follow-through
- Position of shoulders during follow-through
- Position of arms during follow-through
- Position of planting foot during follow-through
- Position of hips during follow-through
- Position of kicking foot during follow-through
- Position of head after follow-through
- Position of kicking foot after follow-through
- Where to land after follow-through
- Speed of ball rotation after the kick
- Holding the ball
- Which hand to hold the ball
- Wind direction and speed
- Temperature
- Seam vs. panel vs. laces
- Accuracy
- Indicator as to why the kick missed
- Increasing traction
- Kick-off
- Normal kick-off
- On-side kick-off
- Practice Drills
- Height
- Maximum Distance
- Quick kick
- Bad holder
- Weekly workout schedule
- Game day schedule
- Miscellaneous
- Adjustments for missed kicks
- Injuries
- Weight training
- Equipmen
- Glossary
Foot placement at ball address
Point both feet towards the kicking tee. Your left foot should be 5” in front of your right foot. Shift body weight to your left foot. You should be able to pick up your right foot without leaning left. [See picture 12.]
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| #12 |
Positions of arms, shoulders and hips at ball address
Arms must be relaxed and at your sides. Square your shoulders and hips to the kicking tee, with your waist and knees slightly bent. [See picture 13.]
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| #13 |
COMMON ERROR
Leaning too far forward.
Where to look when waiting for the ball to be snapped
Check for proper alignment to the tee and the goal posts. Look at the center, wait for the snap.
What to think as the ball is snapped
Think about getting to the ball quickly and visualizing your form.
COMMON ERROR
Thinking about the score and making the field goal instead of
concentrating on your form.
Timing with the center, holder and you
Practice with the center and holder. If that is not possible, use anyone you can. The more you practice, the better your timing will be.
When to start the take-off for the kick
Focus on the tee. The holder’s left hand should be on the tee, his right arm outstretched towards the center. After you give the holder the signal, the holder will raise the hand that was on the tee, so that both his hands are in position to catch the ball. While looking at the tee, you will see the ball being snapped back to the holder. As the holder brings the ball down to the tee, start your approach.
COMMON ERROR
Starting after the ball is on the tee.
Steps
- First Step. Approach the ball in a straight line. If your planting foot is not pointing towards the tee, then the first step with your left foot will not be towards the tee. In other words, if you want to walk north, do not point your feet west. The first step is with your left foot and is 4”-6” long. The approach must be quick.
- Second Step. The second step is taken with your right foot; it is a full-stride step.
- Third Step. The third step is with your left foot and is the planting step. Your planting foot must land next to the tee, with the middle of your foot even with and about 5-7” to the left of the tee. If you incorrectly stride with the first or second step, your plant foot will either be short of (ball sails left) or past (ball sails right) the tee.
Where to look when approaching the ball
Look at the spot on the tee where the holder will put the ball. After the ball is placed down, look at the spot on the ball you will kick.
COMMON ERROR
Looking at the center.
Proper take off towards the ball
Pretend you are taking off as if to jog. Jog straight toward the tee.
COMMON ERRORS:
Walking and not jogging to the ball.
Not approaching the ball in a straight line.
Foot spped at the approach
Must be quick. Jog to the ball. Speed is very important to get the kick off between 1.3 and 1.35 seconds from the time the ball is snapped.


