As a punter, its obvious that your job is to help secure field position for your team with well-placed punts. Often overlooked when it comes to the position is the importance of proper, secure ballhandling to make sure that a punt doesn't turn into a loss of yards AND a turnover or worse - six points the other way!
Even if sloppy ball management doesn't result in giving the ball away, proper technique helps your punt yardage and placement significantly.
Start with the laces of the ball straight up. The placement of the ball into the hand on the side of your kicking leg is most important.
1. The back tip of the ball should make contact with the palm of your hand
2. The tip should be located midway between your thumb and forefinger
3. Your thumb should be on the inside top panel of the ball
4. Your forefinger and your second finger should be on the outside top panel of the football
5. Your remaining two fingers - ring and little - will be placed on the outside bottom panel of the ball
6. The pressure from your thumbs and fingers of your drop hand should allow you to hold the ball comfortably and securely
Your other hand should be in a position on the front inside of the ball with your four fingers on the inside under panel and your thumb on the top inside panel just above the side seam.
One thing to remember is that you want to grasp the ball with as little pressure as is necessary. Holding the ball with a grip that is too tight will adversely affect the way the ball is dropped to your foot.
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