Skills Grip on the footy -- tips needed

[ResidentBomber]

Hi,

I'm quite late to footy (23M), and I'm trying to learn some of the basics so that I can at least contribute a small part to the local team. I've made some great progress from where I first started, but I'm concerned that I've developed some bad habits along the way.

When it comes to gripping the footy itself, what's the typical way that's taught to younger players? Whenever I watch the pros play, or in tutorials from experienced coaches, it seems that they've got complete control of the ball. What I mean by control, is that they can hold the ball upside down in one hand, and it won't fall out.

The problem with this (for me), is that I usually hold the ball so that it's basically pointing at my feet, tilted slightly towards me. To do this, I put most fingers on the top side of the ball, with my ring finger along the seam and only my pinky on the bottom side. When I kick like this, I usually always kick the ball in the right place and it spins backwards as it should, rather than floating.

However, this means that I can't properly perform the 'one hand' drop to my leg, as I don't have a good grasp on the ball. As a consequence of this, I really struggle to kick lower, both for stab-punts and for those big run-up set shots, because the ball isn't being guided down with my hand. But if I try to hold the ball as it feels like I should, it never drops correctly in the upright position, and I end up kicking a bunch of floaters.

Am I making sense? I don't really see this discussed, and I've tried looking this up for a definitive answer. I know everyone's different, but I don't want to be forming bad habits when I'm already playing 'catch up,' so to speak.

Thanks for your time.

 

[Cdog71]

Hi,

I'm quite late to footy (23M), and I'm trying to learn some of the basics so that I can at least contribute a small part to the local team. I've made some great progress from where I first started, but I'm concerned that I've developed some bad habits along the way.

When it comes to gripping the footy itself, what's the typical way that's taught to younger players? Whenever I watch the pros play, or in tutorials from experienced coaches, it seems that they've got complete control of the ball. What I mean by control, is that they can hold the ball upside down in one hand, and it won't fall out.

The problem with this (for me), is that I usually hold the ball so that it's basically pointing at my feet, tilted slightly towards me. To do this, I put most fingers on the top side of the ball, with my ring finger along the seam and only my pinky on the bottom side. When I kick like this, I usually always kick the ball in the right place and it spins backwards as it should, rather than floating.

However, this means that I can't properly perform the 'one hand' drop to my leg, as I don't have a good grasp on the ball. As a consequence of this, I really struggle to kick lower, both for stab-punts and for those big run-up set shots, because the ball isn't being guided down with my hand. But if I try to hold the ball as it feels like I should, it never drops correctly in the upright position, and I end up kicking a bunch of floaters.

Am I making sense? I don't really see this discussed, and I've tried looking this up for a definitive answer. I know everyone's different, but I don't want to be forming bad habits when I'm already playing 'catch up,' so to speak.

Thanks for your time.

This guy puts out good stuff

Enhanced Football

www.enhancedfootball.com

He’s got a heap on YouTube and Facebook.

 

[cptkirk]

post a vid for a better look at what's going on

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Hi,

I'm quite late to footy (23M), and I'm trying to learn some of the basics so that I can at least contribute a small part to the local team. I've made some great progress from where I first started, but I'm concerned that I've developed some bad habits along the way.

When it comes to gripping the footy itself, what's the typical way that's taught to younger players? Whenever I watch the pros play, or in tutorials from experienced coaches, it seems that they've got complete control of the ball. What I mean by control, is that they can hold the ball upside down in one hand, and it won't fall out.

The problem with this (for me), is that I usually hold the ball so that it's basically pointing at my feet, tilted slightly towards me. To do this, I put most fingers on the top side of the ball, with my ring finger along the seam and only my pinky on the bottom side. When I kick like this, I usually always kick the ball in the right place and it spins backwards as it should, rather than floating.

However, this means that I can't properly perform the 'one hand' drop to my leg, as I don't have a good grasp on the ball. As a consequence of this, I really struggle to kick lower, both for stab-punts and for those big run-up set shots, because the ball isn't being guided down with my hand. But if I try to hold the ball as it feels like I should, it never drops correctly in the upright position, and I end up kicking a bunch of floaters.

Am I making sense? I don't really see this discussed, and I've tried looking this up for a definitive answer. I know everyone's different, but I don't want to be forming bad habits when I'm already playing 'catch up,' so to speak.

Thanks for your time.

Maybe spread your fingers a fraction more

But main thing is that you don't need to "hold the ball" on its way down to your foot.

You aren't gripping it - the ball is falling, your hand is just there to guide it.

Players who try to "grip" the ball tend to have to roll the ball to the side - or screw up their ball drop in some other way - and kick floaters as you've described.