Footballs for kicking field goals have a specific feature about them that other footballs do not. For example, a Wilson GST football is notorious among the football field goal kicking community as a more difficult ball to kick.
The reason behind this is its small sweet spot.
Particularly, The Sweet Spot is a magical Zone full of wonder and Beauty. When you hit it right in The Sweet Spot of the football, amazing things happen. Therefore, having the best football for kicking is essential for field goal kickers.
On top of that, leg workouts for kickers will definitely help the kicker on how to kick a football farther. Because realistically, there’s no such thing as too much leg day.
Throughout this article we will discuss:
- What makes a good kicking football?
- What makes a bad kicking football?
- What can you do to get better footballs for kicking?
- Best Leather footballs for kicking vs composite
- The Best footballs for Kicking
So without further Ado, let’s get right into it!
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What makes good footballs for kicking?
Good footballs for kicking has to have three main components;
- A juicy sweet spot
- A more round design to it
- High quality leather
Without all three of these components, you deal with a very frustrating footballs for kicking.
During my time 10+ years playing football, I have kicked hundreds of different footballs. I was able to come up with a list of the ones I actually prefer over the others.
These footballs have a distinct contact feeling that just isn’t possible with traditional footballs. Typical bad football do not have a plump bladder that high-quality footballs for kicking would have.
The kicking football vs. regular football debate isn’t really existent since there isn’t a “classified” kicking football. However, as mentioned above, a kicking football definitely has more of a plump feeling to it as compared to a regular football.
Without the large rubber bladder on the inside of the football, you lose the opportunity to hit it right in the sweet spot.
With a loss in solid foot to ball contact, you ball flight is much different as a result. However, if you have the best football cleats for kickers, you reduce your chances for a bad kick. Confidence = better conversions on field goals.
Therefore, a proper design in the football will help you hit it harder, and it will fly straight and true for longer.
Lastly, by using high-quality leather, the football will last significantly longer, therefore, giving the football more value.
Also, a will broken in football with high-quality leather is a kickers best friend.
It’s no surprise why the NFL uses the Duke as their only football. It’s high-quality leather and extremely large bladder make it a must-have for kickers and punters.
What makes bad footballs for kicking?
Quite simply, a bad-kicking football is a long, thin, and narrow football.
This football also has a smaller rubber bladder and traditional footballs, and lastly might be quite pointy. For kicking field goals and punting, we want as much of a sweet spot as the ball will allow.
So by using a long and narrow football with a small bladder, it will be difficult to hit it in the optimum sweet spot.
Both the Wilson GST and Nike Vapor either have a small sweet spot, or a long and narrow design to it.
A Nike Vapor is acceptable in punting since it has a narrow and pointy design making it easier to spiral the punt. But for field goal kicking I would definitely not recommend it.
What can you do to break in footballs for kicking?
This is something i’ve always tried different methods of. Anything from soaking them in hot water in a bath while scrubbing them underwater.
I’ve gone to throwing them in the dryer with a laundry bag. I’ve even broken them in by just kicking them right out of the bag without any formal treatment to it.
And as I’ve come to find out the best way on how to break in a football for kicking is through a three-step process:
- Get a slightly damp rag and scrub each panel for 1-3 minutes each, let it dry, then repeat 2 more times. (3-9 minutes each panel)
- Use the Wilson Ball Prep Kit leather ball scrubber to scrub each panel for about 5 minutes each panel
- Use the Wilson prep kit Football tack bar and scrub each panel in three sections one time only (divide each panel into three parts; the left side, Center, and right side) DON’T SCRUB BACK AND FORTH WITH THE TACK BAR!
After following these steps, your football should look bright and shiny! if you’re still confused on how to do this, here is a video link that might help:
Leather footballs for kicking vs composite
When kicking, you’re going to want to practice kicking leather footballs only.
The reason is those are what you were going to use in the games. Therefore, you want to practice like you play.
However, I would definitely recommend a composite football when the weather conditions are bad.
For example, when it’s raining, that would be a perfect opportunity to use a composite football. simply because leather footballs breakdown really quick when it starts to rain. So you want to be using a material that can last in harsh conditions. Same with footballs, you want kicker cleats that won’t break down quickly so you don’t have to keep going back to the store and buying more.
While that would be one of the only times I would recommend kicking them, kicking a football no matter the material is better than not kicking at all because it’s raining. I will tell you if you do try to kick a leather football in the rain after three or four rainstorms, the football will most likely be destroyed.
The leather will expand to a point where it won’t hold any are in the football, or it will lose most of its coating, making it a weird texture and almost undesirable to kick.
Best footballs for kicking
Personally, I prefer two different footballs, both of which are high-quality leather. My favorite and the one I always prefer when I go kicking is “The Duke” The Official NFL Football. Click the link to check the price.
This leather is the highest quality you can find and it’s what they use in the actual NFL football games. They are a bit pricey but you can definitely get your money’s worth out of it since it lasts a very long time. They also have a much more distinct foot to ball contact, and it explodes off your foot when you kick it.
My other favorite football to use is the Wilson NCAA 1005 Traditional Official Collegiate Pattern Football. Click the link to check the price.
This football is great since it also has high quality leather and is used for Collegiate football games. Currently it is at a discounted price so get it before they run out of stock!
Those are my two favorite football’s to use and I will primarily choose them over other footballs. however, I will include a link to the website where I get all of my kicking footballs and you can check to see if they have any in stock. They run out pretty quick since they’re so popular!
Here is the link to check out where I get my wilson kicking footballs.
Wilson Sporting Goods
Just type in the name of the football you want and they might have it in stock and even at a discount!
Conclusion
There are many different footballs for kicking out there.
What ultimately matters is the one that you feel the most comfortable using.
Wilson footballs tend to have a distinctively better pop on the ball than other options. By using a Wilson Collegiate football, you will have a high quality excellent footballs for kicking.
Other footballs like the Spalding JV5 Advance football is another great option. However, you don’t really see it at the Collegiate level so you might as well practice like you play and use a football that’s used in a lot of the collegiate teams.
Deciding on footballs for kicking can be tricky.
Therefore, you don’t have to go with my recommendations, But whichever football you choose, make sure it is high quality like the Duke and the Wilson 1005.
After you get your footballs, you’re most likely going to need the best kicking shoes on the market. Check out the post done a while back if you want to see my recommendation on the BEST football kicking cleats.
Once you have your favorite kicking cleats and footballs for kicking, you’ll need to buy the best kicking holder. if you want to learn more about the best kicking holder, click the link.
Other than that, I hope you enjoy The Duke and Wilson 1005 footballs as they truly are my favorite footballs for kicking. Click the links above and look out for kicking footballs for sale! Just make sure you wipe them down using the Wilson Football Prep Kit.
Additionally, click here if you want to get the Football Conditioner. click the link.
And click here if you want the Football Tack Spray. (Both of these make the footballs for kicking break in process much easier!
Kicker workouts, kickoff tees, football kicker cleats, and other topics you most likely want to know more about can be found in the article section of this post. Click the search bar for a topic you want to learn about!
Otherwise, I hope you enjoyed this article on the best footballs to buy have a great day. As always, stay amazing!
- Eric
The Best Kicking Cleats For Football
