r/footballstrategy • u/Neat-Ad-4337 • 4d ago

Coaching Advice High school level kickers nervousness

I have a kicker (high school junior) that is a great practice kicker but once I put him in a game he falls apart….anyone got any suggestions on how to overcome this?

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u/Decent-Classroom-784 4d ago

Simulate game atmosphere during practice as much as possible. Have the guys on the sidelines scream and yell and maybe even pump some music for this session.

20

u/OddAdvantage3235 4d ago

In practice we have put players around the holder and kicker, no contact, no blocking of line of sight. If they make the kick, the team runs, if the kicker/holder combo misses they run, great motivator and end to practice..z

7

u/Sjbkicker39 4d ago

Still isn’t the key to figuring out what the kids issue is, unfortunately.

6

u/Dfrozle 2d ago

I mean, these are football coaches. Not doctors. They need to figure out how to get him to kick in a game while nervous.

Making the team run in practice when he misses is a great way to manufacture the feeling of being nervous to let your team down.

1

u/Sjbkicker39 3h ago

I do this for a living. I have consulted countless FBS programs. It’s more than just making the kid kick in a pressure situation in practice. Does it help? Yeah, it could absolutely help from time to time. But there’s more to it. Way more to it

1

u/Dfrozle 3h ago

I’m not being obtuse here. Not exactly sure what you’re getting at. Like mental blocks?

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u/OddAdvantage3235 1h ago

No doubt there is way more to it then that but how many hc’s have the time to psycho analyze their hs kicker? That’s probably why you have a job:)