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Technique Tuesday – Kickers – Field Goal Technique

April 26th, 2016

Basic field goal technique warrants success when kickers step up to kick a field goal. Consistency and accuracy are strongly dependent upon a consistent approach.

  • Be fully aware of the conditions that exist for the kick at hand. You must know the distance, hash, wind/weather, grass durability, along your own technique.
  • From the snapping point, take three steps back and use your kicking foot to draw an imaginary line from your toe to the ball and then to the middle of the uprights. Make sure that your steps back are from the same spot every time.
  • Bring both feet together and in a controlled manner, take two steps over at a perfect 90 degrees. Never take this part for granted as an 85 or 95 degree angle can mean the difference between 5 and 10 feet.
  • The most common approach consists of a slight jab with the plant-foot, step with kicking foot, plant with plant-foot, and then swing through the ball
  • After the two-step approach down the line of your “triangle”, take your next step with your kicking foot. On this step you do not want to be flat-footed; be on the balls of your feet. Spring into your plant-foot and keep your eyes back on the sweet spot of the ball.
  • Once you have landed, your plant-foot should be pointing in the direction of your target. The depth of your plant-foot will vary depending on the size of tee that you are using as well as your experience.
  • At the point in which your plant-foot lands besides the football, your kicking leg should be in full extension of its back-swing with your ankles locked and beginning its descent.
  • Keep your eyes back on the sweet spot of the ball, counter-arm high, the hip of your kicking leg back, chest up, and ankle & knee locked out. You do not want a flimsy ankle at contact because you lose accuracy and power.
  • The momentum of your follow-through should take your kicking leg up. Your leg swing will naturally swing back up like a pendulum.
  • You must be able to release all of the energy created with your approach by using your momentum to skip-step with your plant-foot.
  • Keeping your eyes back allows you to see your target and keep your hips in good alignment.
  • As your leg comes back down, your body should be square to your target.
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