Special Teams - Getting your Kicks!

In the next segment of Tips of the Day, we'll be covering special teams. 

Early on, we'll focus on three players who must work together as one unit - the placekicker, short snapper, and the holder. After, we'll cover the two-unit team comprised of the punter and the long snapper. Later, our Tips will cover the kickoff man. Finally, we'll end up spotlighting the returner role.

The rest of this introduction should be of special interest to any player who is or wants to be the punter or placekicker for their team.

Being a punter or placekicker is a responsibility-laden role on a football team. Other players may have the luxury of making a mistake on a play and still have the knowledge that they'll have many more opportunities during the game to makeup for their gaffe. As a punter or placekicker, your opportunities may be more limited during a game and the pressure will be on to get it right every play. If you can handle this type of pressure, you're already one step closer to becoming a successful kicker.

The most important beginning attribute you'll require as a kicker is being able to focus on the kick you're about to attempt. It's vital you're able to run out onto the field and only think about making one kick at a time.

Having the physical ability to punk or kick will not guarantee your success unless you can mentally block out everything but the kick you need to make. Mental toughness combined with physical prowess (and the hard work to achieve that prowess!) are vital.

In the beginning, punting and placekicking will seem very difficult. Your punts may not have distance. Your drop might be wrong. You may find yourself preoccupied with the rush. As a kicker, you might have trouble with your steps, power, and accuracy.

Every kicker starts out with these problems. Work hard, focus, stay positive and LISTEN CLOSELY to what your coach is telling you in order to become a better, more complete player. Staying in peak physical condition is an underrated but VERY important part of game-preparedness and effectiveness.

Next time, we'll start getting into technique. Stay tuned!