How to Pooch Kick

When trying to keep the ball away from a talented kick returner or to run time off the clock at the end of a half, it is good strategy to "pooch kick" or "squib" the football instead of relying on a conventional kickoff. If the kick is executed correctly, the ball will knuckle in the air, skip across the grass in the direction of either sideline, and find the hands of an unskilled returner who will make it no further than his own 40 yard line.

Things You'll Need

  • Football
  • Kickoff tee
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Stretch your legs and back. Before kicking, it is important to stretch all muscles in both legs for at least 10 to 15 minutes. Stretching the kicking leg is obvious, but it is equally important to stretch the plant leg to avoid hamstring tears and cramping and to maximize kicking distance. The latter is less important for a pooch kick but should be kept in mind for kickers who are focused on improving their craft as a whole.

    • 2

      Set the ball on the tee. Unlike a regular kickoff, which would require the ball to tilt slightly away from the kicker, to pooch the ball, most kickers find it helpful to place the football straight up and down on the tee. This makes it more likely that the ball will stay close to the ground and have minimal hang time.

    • 3

      Prepare for the kick. Some kickers find it helpful to take the same steps they would for a regular kickoff, usually taking a starting position seven to 10 yards behind the ball and five to seven steps to the side. Others prefer to use their field-goal steps, usually from three steps back and two steps over, when they plan to pooch kick. Others still will take one long step back and one long step over. If you're still learning to pooch kick, it is best to try all of these methods and see what feels comfortable. Once you find a method that works, however, it is imperative to practice those steps until they are perfectly consistent so that your kicks will be accurate.

    • 4

      Approach the ball. It is best to try a variety of approaches (walking throughout, walk-jog-sprint, etc.) while learning to pooch kick. Whatever approach you take, the two keys are that your plant foot consistently hits the same spot and that you're not kicking the ball with a rushed feeling or without momentum.

    • 5

      Kick the ball. There are three basic steps to pooch-kicking the ball: Like a regular kickoff, the toes of your plant foot should point to where you want the ball to land, and your hips and your shoulders should be squared with your target. Unlike a regular kickoff, the foot should hit the middle "fat part" of the football so that its maximum height will be no more than five or six feet from the ground. Last, because a moderate return is likely (ideally no further than the opponents' 30 or 40 yard line but often longer) it is imperative that the kicker stay in his trailing lane and be prepared to engage a blocker or make a tackle.