This is a short video on how to get warmed up for one of your summer workouts — featuring Ryan Schroeder (a former player of mine). Ryan shows you some of the stretches he does in preparation for his session. What you’ll also see is him performing a “Line Drill”, one of the most basic, but important drills you need to master.
LINE DRILL
Use the football field lines to take your steps, either for kicking or punting, and practice perfect alignment, stance, steps and swing at an imaginary ball with perfect follow through. It does a great job of allowing you to go from half speed to full swing in short order — loosening tired leg and body muscles in preparation for kicking and punting.
Greater still is something missed by most players who do this drill. The higher purpose it serves is to get you to focus your mind on the task at hand: namely to make every kick of punt count during the day’s session. Don’t just bang balls. Your job, either as a punter or kicker, is to perform successfully on every single play. Unlike baseball or basketball, or even passing a football, it’s expected that you’ll strikeout, miss a shot or throw incomplete. Kickers and punters are not afforded that mental luxury. EVERYONE expects you to make the kick or get off a great punt. You need to be the first one to make that expectation for the day.
Tell me, how many practices have you had where you didn’t miss a kick?
I know, it’s exceedingly hard to do. But, as you begin to warm-up, put your head in “game mode” and expect to make every kick. Turn over every punt. I’m not saying to be depressed when you don’t… you shouldn’t, but I don’t want you to “go thbrough the motions” or have no consequence for missing. The more you do this, the better you’ll be to handle the pressure that only game day situations can bring and will give you a better chance of doing “your job” and helping your team.
