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Short answer: for a field goal, kick the football in the bottom third, just under center, on the inside panel next to the seam (not on the seam). The ball is placed on the spot by the holder, laces facing the goal posts, usually seven to eight yards behind the line. Hit dead center off the ground and you lose height; hit too low and the ball spins up without distance.
Today we’re going to talk about ball contact and where specifically you should hit on the ball.
Ball contact. First thing, a lot of guys are asking, “Where do I need to hit the ball with my foot and what part of the ball?”
Now, divide the ball into three sections – the top third, middle third, and the bottom third. You want to hit it in the bottom third of the football.
I’ve seen guys that hit dead-center on the football. That’s perfectly fine as long as you’re hitting it off of the kickoff tee. If you’re hitting it off the kickoff tee, you’re totally golden; no issue there. But, a lot of guys, whether they’re in a 1-inch or 2-inch, can get away with it, too, just because it’s raised up and you have more room for error if you are hitting it off of an actual tee.
The other thing to note is if you’re hitting off the ground, you don’t want to hit it dead-center because if you’re hitting it dead-center, you’re losing a lot of height. So, you want to hit a little bit lower than that.
Not too low where you’re getting a lot of spin. So it’s a happy medium between way-too-low and way-too-high. Way too high is when you’re hitting dead-center. Way too low is where you’re getting one of those high spins – it just keeps spinning but doesn’t actually have a distance.
Unless you have a crazy, big leg, you want to make sure you’re hitting it just at the bottom third of the football.
Where to kick a football for field goals
Kick the football in the bottom third, just under center, on the inside panel right next to the seam. Hitting dead center off the ground costs you height, hitting too low adds spin without distance, and hitting the seam gives you an X-ball.
Hit the inside panel
Now, the other thing to note is if I’m a left-footed kicker, I want to hit the inside panel. We have four panels. The inside panel for me is the right quadrant facing me as i’m in my ready stance. If I’m a left-footed kicker and I come in to swing, I want to make sure I’m making contact on the inside part of the ball and driving through to the outside left panel. Swinging inside panel, finishing outside panel. It’s simply the opposite for right-footed kickers.
Now, I don’t wanna be hitting on the seam or way outside that because if I ever so slightly mess up my ankle or twist too much, the ball is gonna go way off to the right.
If I’m very disciplined in my approach and I’m hitting it in the right way like I should, this shouldn’t be an issue. I need to make sure that I’m focusing on the inside panel, just inside the seam. Even the seam I don’t want to hit because it isn’t a clean surface. If you hit it there, it’s technically hitting two different areas and will give you an X-ball
The cleanest part for ball contact is the inside panel and just under center. Same thing with punting, you don’t want to hit the seam. You turn it a little bit to hit that flat surface. For field goals, you want to hit just under center which is the bottom third of the football, on the inside panel. For righties, it’s the opposite panel.
Making ball contact easy
The easiest way to do this in practice is with every single field goal you have, make a spit mark. For me, I’m gonna make a spit mark just inside the panel, and that’s my target. Every single kick, I’m gonna focus on the spit mark and just drive up through that, through the outside left panel.
If you practice off a 1- or 2-inch block, use the same one every rep so your contact spot never moves. A basic field goal kicking block is all you need; the field goal tee guide covers which height to use, and a kicking net lets you get those reps in on your own.
I’m just trusting that over and over again. I’m gonna make the spit mark every single time I can while I’m kicking. Same thing with kickoffs. I’m gonna have this exact point to focus on. So, whenever I’m kicking on the sticks, whenever I’m off the tee or holder, I’m able to look at that spot and visualize my target where I want to hit.
Trust your swing
Trust the inside panel. Swing through it. You’re gonna be golden. You’re gonna hit that X rotation because often, you get that X rotation when you hit outside the seam. Because, physically, if I hit on the outside part of the ball, it has to go the way it’s hit. At the very least, hitting the seam or outside panel leads to inconsistencies since it’s either a varying surface or around the ball. There’s less room for error when you hit the ball outside.
You’re gonna wanna hit almost dead-center, but not the seam. Just inside the seam so that you give yourself the best chance for a good foot-to-ball contact and a good pop.
For a step-by-step look at the strike itself, see foot-to-ball contact, explained. If your misses still drift one way, work through how to fix pushed and pulled field goals.
If this article helped, leave a comment below! Let me know what you want to see next!
Other than that, check the resources page for more helpful info! Also, get The Art of Kicking E-book if you haven’t already!
Thanks for reading and until next time!
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Frequently asked questions
Where is the ball placed for a field goal?
The holder places it on the spot about seven to eight yards behind the line of scrimmage, tilted slightly, laces toward the goal posts. Your job is to hit the same spot on it every time; the holder’s job is covered in the best football kick holder.
Why does my ball contact feel different in games?
Often it is the ball. Practice with the same model you kick in games, such as a Wilson game football, so a fresh game ball doesn’t surprise you.
Should I hit the ball differently off a tee?
A little. Off a kickoff tee or a 1- or 2-inch block, hitting closer to center is fine because the ball is raised and you have more room for error. Off the ground, stay in the bottom third so you keep your height.
Keep reading: Get more height on field goals · Stop curving your field goals · Best footballs for kicking
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