What goes on in the mind of a kicker?

[krc1995]

I just read the LJS article on A.Henery and I got to thinking, "What does a kicker think in the minutes leading up to a kick of Henery's magnitude?" Are there any ex-kickers out there? For me, the final 30 seconds before the actual kick would be the time I went into shock. I also wonder if all of Henery's new noteriaty might have an affect on him in the future (positive or neg). He mentioned that he is quiet and likes to stay out of the limelight. Not a revolutionary thread idea or anything, but I have always wondered what exactly they were thinking before the kick.

[Army Husker]

Well, I was a major leauge door kicker for awhile...used to hope that nobody was waiting for me on the other side with a gun that was bigger than mine.

[WVhuskerXX]

I kicked a game winner in high school and all i thought about was how i was going to celebrate....as a kicker your taught to have confidence and to kno u will make the kick...

[redout22]

I always thought kickers were taught not to think about anything when they kick the ball. I always thought it was like a free throw

[WVhuskerXX]

they teach at camps to visualize urself making the kick in ur mind b4 kicking....

[huKSer]

"Wow, look at that babe in section 21. I wonder how I can get her number?" - - - What? Time to kick? Where we at?

[huskerswrkhavoc]

i'm sure it's just like doing anything else... visualize and have confidence. and about the celebration thing, i have heard many people say you can tell how good a kicker is by how he celebrates, the more you celebrate, the worse you are, just b/c it shows that you have less confidence in yourself... not sure i agree w/ being a worse/better kicker, but i can see the better under pressure part of it..

[krc1995]

I kicked a game winner in high school and all i thought about was how i was going to celebrate....as a kicker your taught to have confidence and to kno u will make the kick...

 

 

That's cool- how long?

[WVhuskerXX]

not too far...but it was pouring down rain...it was crazy....water was everywhere...

[Igetbored216]

Whoever is the punter should adapt the "rugby" style of punting. Makes it very difficult to return and helps gain extra yardarge on the roll.

[killer cacti]

I kicked a game winner in high school and all i thought about was how i was going to celebrate....as a kicker your taught to have confidence and to kno u will make the kick...

So, fill us in...what was the celebration?

 

BTW, I think that kickers think about how they're gonna score if they score...if you get what I'm saying.

[cmb23]

I've never understood "Icing" the kicker (or free throw shooter for that matter). I would think there is more pressure if you have to run out there with the play clock winding down and not have time to set up, visualize, etc.

 

In fact, I could swear somewhere/sometime (don't remember if it was kicking or free throws) but that the make % is lower if you don't call the timeout.

[WVhuskerXX]

lol...yea i get what ur saying cacti...haha.....i just ran from one side to the next...then i turned around and my whole team just engulfed me...one of my favorite moments in life....scoring 1,000 points in bball is #1

[SkullandBones]

they teach at camps to visualize urself making the kick in ur mind b4 kicking....

 

I can buy that. It's the same thing I've always been taught in golf, how important it is to visualize the shot as you stand behind it, then just go hit it. As far as icing, I don't buy that as hurting a kicker, I think it helps actually. Again with the golf analogy; how many times do you see a player address the ball, pause, back away, stand behind it again and reset themselves? I guess you could say they are 'icing' themselves, but it usally works.

[cmb23]

If Nebraska wins a New Years Day bowl...I might "ice myself".