Leland Gordon recently wrote an article about football kicking drills. I thought it was worth sharing. Check it out below:
The kicker is one of the most important players on a football team despite the fact he is barely asked to throw and catch the ball, tackle opponents or run with the ball. Teams depend on kickers to score points in high-pressure situations by kicking the ball through the uprights while the defense tries to block the kick. Kicking drills help kickers develop a rhythm and solidify fundamentals they can take with them into high-pressure situations.
Horseshoe Drill
The horseshoe drill gives you a different distance and angle for each kick and you only get one try for each. Set the balls up on tees in a horseshoe shape and work your way around the horseshoe, kicking each ball. According to Footballdrills.com, you can add pressure to the horseshoe drill by having two kickers alternate kicks and whoever misses has to run sprints. Aside from extra point attempts, kickers will rarely make an attempt from the same spot on the field.
Blocker Drill
The blocker drill teaches the kicker to get a sense for how quickly he needs to make his attempt. The center snaps the ball to the holder and two kick blockers sprint toward the ball. One center cannot stop two rushers, so at least one blocker will get a somewhat clear path to the ball. The kicker must learn to get off a quick and accurate kick before the blockers get their hands on the ball, according to Football-Tutorials.com. Kicking the ball accurately and with enough distance can be a difficult task when blockers attempt to block the ball.
Height and Accuracy Drill
The Height and Accuracy drill requires the kicker to kick from a tee 7 yards away from the uprights. The goal is to smack the ball on the upright, above the crossbar, or at least get it to land within a 4-yard wide zone that is 40 to 45 yards away from the tee. Kicking the ball high enough and early enough is another part of kicking that kickers need to practice through drills. A low line drive kick stands a high chance of being blocked, so the kicker has to get a minimum amount of height on the kick from the beginning.
