When you feel you have your setup, stance, approach, and kicking motion down to a single, controlled process, it is time to introduce the ball to the equation. One thing that will help you concentrate on the kick while you're learning is to eliminate the goal post from your mind (and your practice!) and focus completely on kicking the ball in a straight line.
To practice kicking without a goal post:
1. Practice on a sideline
2. Make the placement spot at a point where a yard line meets the sideline
3. Take your steps and setup properly
4. Have a coach or fellow kicker place the ball on the placement spot for you
5. Make certain the laces of the ball are pointing straight down the sideline
6. Kick the ball in a straight line directly down the sideline
Your goal should be to kick with a natural motion. As we're focusing on accuracy for now, there's no need for a center. Try not to overkick - you're not after distance yet. By kicking the ball down the sideline, you'll be able to quickly tell if you're hooking or pushing the ball as you kick. If you find the ball is veering excessively from the sideline, repeat earlier steps in the process to make sure your approach and follow-through are sound.
Showing posts with label kickoff. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kickoff. Show all posts
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Friday, August 23, 2013
Special Teams - Alignment and The Kick
Before you get into your kicking motion, it's important you learn how to properly align yourself to the ball's placement spot. Place a kicking tee, cup, or a piece of tape on the ground. In your mind, make this the spot where the ball will be placed for your kick.
Once your spot is established, it becomes a case of stepping up and getting in proper position to make the kick. To do so, you need to:
1. Place your plant foot so that the instep of the foot is next to the placement spot
2. Place your kicking foot directly behind the placement spot
3. Beginning with your kicking foot, take three normal steps straight backward from the placement spot
4. Take two steps sideways with your plant foot at a right angle
5. Turn and face the placement spot and get into your proper stance
As you're starting out, you may find that you're not stepping straight back from the placement spot. One easy way to correct this error is to put the placement spot on a marked sideline on the field and concentrate on stepping back straight down the line.
As you approach the ball for your kick, remember that your plant foot should come down even with and six inches outside the placement spot with the toe pointed the same direction as the kicking spot. This is easier to practice if you're working on the sideline.
The power for your kick should start with your hips moving forward and your kicking leg coming forward in a full arch. It's important that the knee of the kicking leg precedes the foot toward the placement spot. The knee of the kicking leg should be bent slightly.
The position of the kicking foot is vitally important. You should have your toe pointed down and your ankle locked and stable. The toe of your kicking foot will pass just outside the placement spot. The center of the inside of the kicking foot should pass directly over the center of the placement spot. The top inside of the center of the kicking foot is the actual part of the foot we want to make contact with the ball.
As a kicker, you'll come to learn that your follow-through will be an excellent indication of how the kick will turn out. When your kicking foot moves over the placement spot, it's important that your entire body move straight at the target.
Remember - as your kicking foot moves over the placement spot:
1. Your body should be balanced
2. Your head must be down
3. Your eyes must stay focused on the placement spot
4. Your hips need to lead the way to the target
5. Your shoulders should precede your feet throughout the kicking motion
Once your spot is established, it becomes a case of stepping up and getting in proper position to make the kick. To do so, you need to:
1. Place your plant foot so that the instep of the foot is next to the placement spot
2. Place your kicking foot directly behind the placement spot
3. Beginning with your kicking foot, take three normal steps straight backward from the placement spot
4. Take two steps sideways with your plant foot at a right angle
5. Turn and face the placement spot and get into your proper stance
As you're starting out, you may find that you're not stepping straight back from the placement spot. One easy way to correct this error is to put the placement spot on a marked sideline on the field and concentrate on stepping back straight down the line.
As you approach the ball for your kick, remember that your plant foot should come down even with and six inches outside the placement spot with the toe pointed the same direction as the kicking spot. This is easier to practice if you're working on the sideline.
The power for your kick should start with your hips moving forward and your kicking leg coming forward in a full arch. It's important that the knee of the kicking leg precedes the foot toward the placement spot. The knee of the kicking leg should be bent slightly.
The position of the kicking foot is vitally important. You should have your toe pointed down and your ankle locked and stable. The toe of your kicking foot will pass just outside the placement spot. The center of the inside of the kicking foot should pass directly over the center of the placement spot. The top inside of the center of the kicking foot is the actual part of the foot we want to make contact with the ball.
As a kicker, you'll come to learn that your follow-through will be an excellent indication of how the kick will turn out. When your kicking foot moves over the placement spot, it's important that your entire body move straight at the target.
Remember - as your kicking foot moves over the placement spot:
1. Your body should be balanced
2. Your head must be down
3. Your eyes must stay focused on the placement spot
4. Your hips need to lead the way to the target
5. Your shoulders should precede your feet throughout the kicking motion
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Special Teams - Approaching the Ball
Your initial move toward the ball's placement spot should start with a slight forward lean of your shoulders. Then:
1. Take a short momentum step forward with your plant foot
2. Take a normal forward step with the kicking foot
3. Next, take a longer second step with the plant foot
Your second plant foot step should bring the foot even with and six inches outside the spot where the ball will be spotted for the kick.
In this position, the kicker has room and is in position to make proper contact with the ball.
When you're first working on getting your initial steps down, you require neither tee nor ball. It's better to use a piece of tape as your placement spot. You'll soon feel that your steps are the correct length and that you are ending in the proper position to make your kick with your head down and eyes focused on the placement spot.
1. Take a short momentum step forward with your plant foot
2. Take a normal forward step with the kicking foot
3. Next, take a longer second step with the plant foot
Your second plant foot step should bring the foot even with and six inches outside the spot where the ball will be spotted for the kick.
In this position, the kicker has room and is in position to make proper contact with the ball.
When you're first working on getting your initial steps down, you require neither tee nor ball. It's better to use a piece of tape as your placement spot. You'll soon feel that your steps are the correct length and that you are ending in the proper position to make your kick with your head down and eyes focused on the placement spot.
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
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!
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!
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