Kicking/Punting

Kicking & Punting

I have scoured the web looking for information about kicking and punting to link to. However, it became clear during my search that most of the sites about kicking and punting were trying to sell their information by offering a book or kicking camp dates.

Here are some basic techniques and hints that we hope will make you a better kicker or punter.

Kicking Click here to go to Punting

Soccer Style Kickers:

Most soccer style kickers like their holders to place the ball on the tee or the ground with a slight lean to the back.
For alignment the kicker will put the kicking foot directly behind where the ball is to be placed after the snap. Here the left foot (non-kicking foot) is aligned beside the ball.
Starting with his kicking foot (right) the kicker will take three steps (regular distance).
The kicker takes two steps left with both feet.
The kicker's focus should be on the tee.
Most soccer style kickers take two steps. The first step is made with the right (kicking) foot.
The second step should be longer and place the plant foot within half a foot behind and to the left of the ball.
The plant foot is very important to the kick. The toe needs to be pointed to the goalpost.
The kicking leg starts its downward motion from a high position. Here the toe should be pointed slightly down and the ankle locked.
Target with your hips. They should be facing to the target.
Kick the ball with the top, left, inside portion of the foot. Most kicker go wrong here by using the side of their foot instead of the top portion. Some call this an American style soccer kick.
Keep the head down and focused on the tee at all times.
Remember that the body needs to follow through properly. If the kicker has a good follow through his body will be pointed directly to the target and his head will be down and still focused.
A big part of kicking is balance. Kickers do not need to swing the kicking leg across their body. Leaning too far forward will result in a wide right kick (most of the time). Leaning too far back can result in a wide left kick.

Strait On Kicker (Toe Poke)

As the years pass there seem to be fewer and fewer Strait on Kickers. That is in part because players see that there are few if any strait on kickers in the pros and in college. They feel that if they are to have any chance at all of going to college to kick they have to kick soccer style. This is pretty much true. However, there are some advantages to kicking strait on.

Strait on kickers do not have as much problems with slipping in bad weather.
Strait on kicking is easier to teach and learn.
Knowing where to place the tee and lining up for a kick is easy.
It is easier for a backup to be prepared for use.

Key points to kicking strait on.

Place the kicking foot (right) directly behind the ball and the plant foot even and to the left of the tee.
Step back with the right foot first. Most field goal kickers step back three steps then even their feet. Some will an extra two steps for extremely long attempts or kickoffs.
Keep the head down and focused on the sweet spot of the ball. There should be a slight forward lean to the kicker.
The first step is with the right foot. The kicker should understand that his shoulders are like rifle targets. The kicker should be square with the target at all times.
As you approach the ball nothing should be able to make you take your eyes off the target.
Here is one secret that can help you get loft on the ball early. Just before you kick the ball lock your toes into an up position. This lifts the tip of your shoe and punches the ball up into the air.
If you kicked the ball square on the sweet spot and your body was squarely pointed to the target the ball should fly to it.
Remember to follow through with your kicking foot and to keep your head down even when the ball is gone.

If you are having trouble with your strait on kicking it could be one of these reasons.

	If you are having accuracy problems it could be that your shoe is rounded on the end. This makes for difficult kicking because you have to hit the ball almost perfect and that is very hard to do with a rounded shoe. You can purchase a straight on kicking shoe but they are very costly.
	Your kicks are strong but almost always line drives. You are probably hitting the ball in the right spot but you may have forgot to raise your toes before the kick. You have probably seen some kickers tie a shoe string onto the front of their cleat to keep their toe up. You can do this without the shoe strings but you have to remember to do it.
	You are kicking the ball short and high. Try raising your focus spot on the ball a little. If you aim about an inch above the white line and lock your toes up you should hit the ball in the right spot because with the toes locked up they will strike the ball a little higher up.
	Your kickoffs are good but your field goals are not. Remember that by the time the ball gets to the tee you have to already be in motion. Because you do not have a ball to focus on before a field goal focus on the tee.

If you hit the ball in the right spot, with enough energy it will do what you are trying to get it to do. If the ball does not do what you want it to there is a reason. You must fix the problem. Kicking is not rocket science but it requires concentration and focus each and every time you kick the ball. The better you can focus under pressure the better the kicker you will make. no matter what style you choose.