Special Teams - Punter - Setting Up the Drop

Now that you've learned to properly secure and hold the ball, you're ready to proceed with the hand, arm, and drop action of the kick. When first learning these techniques it is best if you do not actually kick the ball. Without the actual kick you will be able to go through these movements a number of times in rapid succession.

Begin the drill with the ball held properly in both hands. You will not be stepping with your feet during this drill. The actual kicking movement starts with the removal of your hand away from your kicking foot.

This hand and arm should be allowed to swing back to the outside at waist height and serve as a balance for your kick. As the hand swings back:

1. Your hips should turn slightly to the inside in the direction of your arm swing
2. Your opposite shoulder should rotate slightly forward
3. Your ball hand and arm should be easily extended in front of your body

As the ball is extended in your drop hand, the hand on the side of your kicking foot, the following should be true:

1. The point of the ball should be rotated slightly to the inside and aimed in the same direction as your hips
2. The wrist of your drop hand should be locked
3. The ball should be level and pointing neither up nor down
4. The drop hand should be just above waist-height

Special Teams - Punters & Ballhandling

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.