Although special teams where often overlooked by coaches and players in the past, many are starting to realize the importance special teams play in a successful football team. With increasingly more close games occurring on the college level and in the National Football League, special teams is commonly the factor in a win or a loss. A made field goal, blocked kick, or a return for a touchdown, can easily swing a games momentum one way or the other. Though special teams may only be on the field for a couple minutes during a game, the majority of big plays throughout a game happen during that short time span than during offence and defense combined. Also, statistics show that a kick or punt returned past the fifty yard line offers that team a fifty percent chance of scoring where as a punt or kick placed inside the ten yard line of the opposing team offers them a five percent chance of scoring. With football being a battle of field position, coaches have recognized that good special teams can offer their team a great advantage over their opponent.
There are two common ways to kick a field goal. One technique is called “soccer style,” and the other is called “straight on kicking.” To kick a ball soccer style, the kicker usually takes three steps back and two steps over. He/she approaches the ball at an angle and strikes the ball with the inside to lower laces of the shoe. This style of kicking is very accurate because you have a large portion of your foot striking the ball allowing for a larger margin of error. If performed correctly the ball should be able to soar through the uprights from fifty to sixty yards. Soccer style kicking is the most common style used these days in place kicking. The straight on style of kicking is performed by taking approximately three steps back from the ball aligned directly toward your target.The kicker approaches straight to the ball and kicks the ball with his/her toe. This style of kicking is not very accurate due to the small contact point between your toe and ball leaving a large margin of error. If performed correctly the ball should be able to soar through the uprights from fifty to sixty yards, but the consistency is very difficult to achieve. A fifty yard field goal has a seven degree margin of error to the left and to the right; with the small contact point of straight on kicking that means the kicker has a three eights of an inch margin of error were he can hit a successful kick. Due to the poor consistency of the straight on style, the soccer style is the preferred technique of kicking.
There are many factors that can lead to a missed field goal. The operation involves four components that all need to be in sync and performed in 1.2 seconds or less to perform a successful kick. The most common reason for a missed field goal is kicker error. The kicker has to have every step of his kick aligned perfectly in order to succeed. This usually just leads to the kicker taking the heat or being looked down upon for the miss. Another reason a field goal could be missed is by a bad hold. The hold is a very important step. One inch off on the mark the kicker planned to hit or too much of a tilt one way could through off the whole kick. The snap is also a very skilled position that needs to be performed perfectly in order to be successful. A bad snap can lead to a delay and a blocked kick leading to the opposing team gaining possession of the ball and running it back for a touchdown. Lastly the linemen need to block the rush from the defense who is trying to block the kick. If any of these steps get thrown off there is a great possibility of a missed field goal that could lose the game, giving the opposing team good field position or give them a touchdown. Every player must perform at his best to gain those crucial three points.
There are two common ways to kick a field goal. One technique is called “soccer style,” and the other is called “straight on kicking.” To kick a ball soccer style, the kicker usually takes three steps back and two steps over. He/she approaches the ball at an angle and strikes the ball with the inside to lower laces of the shoe. This style of kicking is very accurate because you have a large portion of your foot striking the ball allowing for a larger margin of error. If performed correctly the ball should be able to soar through the uprights from fifty to sixty yards. Soccer style kicking is the most common style used these days in place kicking. The straight on style of kicking is performed by taking approximately three steps back from the ball aligned directly toward your target.The kicker approaches straight to the ball and kicks the ball with his/her toe. This style of kicking is not very accurate due to the small contact point between your toe and ball leaving a large margin of error. If performed correctly the ball should be able to soar through the uprights from fifty to sixty yards, but the consistency is very difficult to achieve. A fifty yard field goal has a seven degree margin of error to the left and to the right; with the small contact point of straight on kicking that means the kicker has a three eights of an inch margin of error were he can hit a successful kick. Due to the poor consistency of the straight on style, the soccer style is the preferred technique of kicking.
There are many factors that can lead to a missed field goal. The operation involves four components that all need to be in sync and performed in 1.2 seconds or less to perform a successful kick. The most common reason for a missed field goal is kicker error. The kicker has to have every step of his kick aligned perfectly in order to succeed. This usually just leads to the kicker taking the heat or being looked down upon for the miss. Another reason a field goal could be missed is by a bad hold. The hold is a very important step. One inch off on the mark the kicker planned to hit or too much of a tilt one way could through off the whole kick. The snap is also a very skilled position that needs to be performed perfectly in order to be successful. A bad snap can lead to a delay and a blocked kick leading to the opposing team gaining possession of the ball and running it back for a touchdown. Lastly the linemen need to block the rush from the defense who is trying to block the kick. If any of these steps get thrown off there is a great possibility of a missed field goal that could lose the game, giving the opposing team good field position or give them a touchdown. Every player must perform at his best to gain those crucial three points.
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