Guide to Kicking and Punting

Field Goal kicking technique

Create a ‘process’ for your kicks and duplicate each time.
Eight parts of a kick
1. Steps & Aim
2. Alignment
3. Approach
4. Plant Foot
5. Foot to Ball
6. Impact Position
7. Swing Path
8. Follow-Through

Step & Aim

Kicking foot stays in line with the tee (aimed through your target) as you walk
backwards. Walk off your steps at a 90⁰ angle from the tee (no matter where you
kick from).

Alignment
Get your belly button aimed toward the plant foot spot. (Plant foot spot is one of
your feet length to the side of the block). Comfortable stance with your weight
evenly distributed and knees slightly bent. Tall posture with a slight lean forward
with chest over knees. Keep your eyes FOCUSED on the spot. At this point you
are ready to kick.

Approach
Always approach the plant foot spot which will provide more room to let your leg
swing through naturally and allow you to get your body through the ball with a
proper follow-through (more consistent powerful kicks). Approaching the ball
directly creates an extreme angle and generally causes you to get jammed up at
impact. This will impede your distance and accuracy potential.
Your first step in the ‘approach’ should be a very small step referred to as a
‘jab step’. Take the jab step with your plant foot (not covering much ground with
this step) a few inches, max. The next step is the ‘approach step’ which is going
to be a medium sized step (with your kicking foot) as you begin to pick up a little
more speed. You will then push off with your kicking foot for the final ‘drive step’
and land your plant foot about a foot to the side of the block.

Plant Foot
After taking the drive step you are now in a position where your plant foot is
secured on the ground about a foot (your foot length) next to your block. Your
plant foot should be parallel with the block (slightly closed or slightly open is ok,
but a parallel plant is ideal). Of course YOUR ideal plant foot spot can vary based
on how you kick; but this should give you a general starting point:

● 2” Block: Align ball of foot with middle of tee

● 1” Block: Align middle of foot with middle of tee
● ½” Block: Align heel with back of tee
● Ground: Align heel with middle of ball

The most important thing to know is you want to plant in a position that allows
your kicking leg to lock at impact and strike the sweet spot of the ball with the
sweet spot of your foot ( talk about this later).

Foot To Ball
The most important step of the Field Goal Process is the foot to ball contact!
There is a hard bone on the instep of your foot that is considered the ‘sweet spot’.
This is where you need to strike the ball. Most ‘ traditional’ soccer cleats with
laces have an ideal spot which is located near the 2nd or 3rd inner shoelace hole.
Not only does your foot have a sweet spot, so too does the ball. You should aim for
the lower ⅓ of the football just before the seam of the ball. Aiming too high on the
ball will not get enough height and cause the ball to line drive. Although aiming
too low, the ball will over-spin and not have a penetrating flight.
Impact Position
At impact, your kicking leg should be ‘locked’ and your foot turned into the proper
position, in order to strike the sweet spot of the ball with the sweet spot of your
foot. Your eyes should be staring at the sweet spot of the ball until you have
completed your kick (after your skip). Remember to breathe out naturally at and
through impact. Holding your breath can negatively affect your kick power!