How to Throw and Kick a Football
Learn how to throw and kick a football. The basics are here to get the kids off to a good start.
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Throwing and kicking a football are two of the most important skills in football. It’s complicated and special attention must be paid to the elongated ball. Once you get into the sport you will move beyond these fundamental skills and learn strategy and technique, but for now let’s learn the basics.
Image via Wikipedia
Throwing
To get the best hold on the ball spread your fingers across the laces and toward the back of the ball. The smaller the hand the farther back you should hold it. Hold the ball firmly but do not squeeze it. Don’t rest the ball in the palm of the hand. You can use your other hand to help hold the ball before the pass but remove it when ready to throw.
When ready to pass, line yourself up so the side opposite your throwing arm faces your target. Bring the ball directly back behind your head, with your upper arm parallel with the ground and your elbow bent. Your weight should be on your back leg. Use your front arm for balance.
Image via Wikipedia
Step in the direction of your target with your front foot while you shift your weight forward, pushing off with your back foot. Fling the ball forward in a smooth motion close to your head. Let the ball roll off your fingers as you extend your elbow. Point the ball at the target as you release it.
Your arm should continue down to a natural stop, with shoulders and torso facing the target and back leg resting in line with, or slightly behind your front leg.
Kicking
Place kicking occurs during field goals and kickoffs. Another player will hold the ball on the ground or you will use a kicking tee.
The ball should rest 5 to 10 yards in front of your starting position, tilted slightly back with the lace facing forward.
Stride toward the ball with even steps, making sure the last step before kick off leaves your opposite foot about 18″ behind the ball, and a few inches to the side so you can kick straight.
Professional players prefer the soccer style kick. Bend your knee as you begin the kick, straightening it as you follow through. Kick the ball with the full instep of your foot.
Straighten your leg and bring it to chest level as you send the ball straight out and up.
In punting, the kicker receives the ball from the center, then kicks the ball as it drops from the kicker’s hands.
The center’s pass should be a fast spiral from the waist.
Image via Wikipedia
With arms outstretched, hold the ball laces up and pointing forward, between your hands. Take a small step with your kicking foot, then a full step with your opposite foot, and release the ball as your second step hits the ground. Do not spin the ball.
Bring your kicking leg forward, bend at the knee. Extend the leg and connect with the ball about knee level. Lock your knee and ankle as you make contact and kick the ball with the entire top surface of your foot.
Continue swinging your leg forward, and bring it naturally to a stop about head level.
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How to Hit a Baseball
26 Comments
I didn’t know you have that ability as a football coach Ruby. BTW you wrote it well for an average individual to be an effective quarterback.
You are quite the special teams coach. Very timely article.
What a terrific article on how to throw + kick a football. Very effective write! Thanks for sharing
Nice article on the nuances of football.Thanks.
Thanks for the tips, Ruby, though I think maybe I am a bit past it now.
Christine
What a great ariticle and I don’t even like football.
nice learning from you Ruby,thanks
Very good tips here. Thanks, my friend, and have my liked it.
Great article Ruby. I`ve been playing football for a number of years and have yet to hear someone describe how to throw one so easily. One thing to note is that footballs come in many sizes and for someone with smaller hands it may be beneficial to start with a smaller ball. Don`t move on to a bigger one until you throw a perfect spiral with the smaller one.
Good tips.
Inna
I don’t know the first thing about American Football, but I was still drawn in to the article!!!
I think I would hurt myself doing either of these things. LOL! Good article.
What a wide range of subjects you write about Ruby and you somehow make them all interesting and fasinating!Excellent work but that comes as no surprise to me!
Over here football is soccer and rugby is american football without the padding.
Thank you everyone, you are all so special. I am not a football expert but I can do the research. My sons and one of my grandsons were in band in highschool and one in college. We never missed a football game. Add those to all the ones that have been watched on TV at my house over the years and you can get some idea of where football comes in at my house. I loved every minute of it. Don’t tell my family but I can do without it on TV.
Throwing and kicking are NOT two of the most important skills in football. They’re just small, unimportant, miscellanous skills that come in handy every once in a while. Watch a football game on TV. What’s the run/pass ratio? How many more blocks are made than balls thrown/kicked?
That said, this was a rather mediocre guide on how to throw a football and didn’t have much instruction at all.
Ruby,
A very well written article.Didn’t know you were a football fan. Here in the Hoosier state we’re Colts fans! Keep up the great work Ruby
Randy
I’m thinking people reading an article on how to throw or kick a football probably aren’t interested in run/pass ratio. I think this article was geared more towards someone picking a ball up for the first time, not someone hoping to get drafted next year. I found your comment rude and unnecessary.
You would make a great first time coach. Easy instruction.
nice thanks lots of stuff i didnt know
Good to know
Excellent job Ruby!! Although most of us Michiganders aren’t real proud of our Lions, most of us are either avid U of M fans or M.S.U. fans so they make up for it…
LET’S GO BLUE!!!!!!
You did a great job with this article, Ruby. You broke it down for a novice to understand how to play football. My friend’s son could benefit from this article.
THis is so interesting. Have never considered this kind of sport myself.
I’m not much of a sports fan, but playing catch is a great way to connect with kids. I love frisbees for this, but I see the guy across the street throwing a football with his lads, and it looks like fun.
It’s a nice write up that explains the game very well. I have never played American Football. for me it was a good learning process.
nice to know these… im a big fan of football…