Kicking on your non-preferred

[Frisky Dingo]

I hope this is the right place to post this.
I am 18, and I have been playing AFL for 3 years now after 8 years of playing Rugby. It took me probably a full season to learn how to kick properly and to hit targets on my preferred foot (right foot). I like to think I have a pretty accurate kick now, and I have been trying to learn on my left a bit more. I find I am very inconsistent and it still feels weird when I use my left. Does anyone on here have any good tips on how to kick on your non-preferred? Or is it just the painful task of practice practice practice?
Any help would be much appreciated

 

[stmookeyj]

I found it was the painful route of practice practice practice. Start with the short distance (15m) then gradually move out further. In the end using the non-preferred isn't really about distance gained (although it can be a big advantage), to me it's about having an option to get out of trouble should you need it.

 

[T2B_]

Practice practice and yeah perhaps just try to kick well short distances before worrying about going long on it.

My personal experience, is oddly, that I could kick straighter on my left than my preferred... but couldn't perform snaps on it like I could on my right.lol

 

[beetlebug]

I can say first hand my son who is 12 learn to kick left non preferred side about 2 years ago during the off season. we would go out 4/5 per week and kick 100 shots on goal 80 of them would be left....
now, its become so natural .... torp, banana, hook around body on the run the same left or right
What I noticed the attitude, determination, perseverance is what got him achieving this thats it.

 

[sidebum]

Practicing bouncing the ball with your non-preferred hand. Will enhance your control and assist with the ball drop.

 

[jezza25]

Practicing bouncing the ball with your non-preferred hand. Will enhance your control and assist with the ball drop.

use a mirror and replicate your action until just b4 you kick it. Do this until its perfected and feels natural. Then take the mirror away and kick. Its gonna take a long time but you'll get there.

 

[cptkirk]

don't bother with standing start kicks cos in a game you'll kick them on your good foot rather practice kicking them on the run

 

[.Shotties.]

don't bother with standing start kicks cos in a game you'll kick them on your good foot rather practice kicking them on the run

This x 1000. I spent one summer doing nothing but opposite foot kicks and thought I had them down. As soon as I tried in a game, I dribbled every single one. Took another long summer to get used to doing them on the run.

 

[IAMJUNGLEMUFFIN]

Pratice learning to bounce the football with your left hand instead of your right. Either that or you can use your right hand to drop the ball on to your left, little less conventional and not ideal, but better than having no left IMO.

It also looks like you're pro when people see you bouncing left and right handed. I think it improves ball control and marking when the ball isn't coming in dead straight aswell, so worth the effort.

Once you get around the awkwardness of the ball drop, you'll be fine.

 

[Alex9]

I find that pressure makes me kick better on my non preffered(right). I remember one game i took a mark around left half forward/wing. Just instinctively spun around on my right and kicked and absolute bullet about 40mtrs head height. I also find that on the run is easier and the less you think about it the easier as well

 

[Frisky Dingo]

Thanks everyone for the tips, great stuff, I will let ya know how it goes

 

[Eastern Rangers]

I used to put my right hand behind my back to kick with my left, my right hand always stuck to the ball and ruined my ball drop. Seemed to do the trick and i can guide my the ball with my left hand onto my left boot.

 

[GeeUUess]

I know the OP said he is only 18 but is he Karmichael Hunt in disguise? No 15yo played AFL 3 years ago, and Hunt has been playing for 2 years now plus one year in VFL, and played rugby for like 9 years before that.....I'd probably ask Gary Ablett if I was you OP.

 

[Frisky Dingo]

I know the OP said he is only 18 but is he Karmichael Hunt in disguise? No 15yo played AFL 3 years ago, and Hunt has been playing for 2 years now plus one year in VFL, and played rugby for like 9 years before that.....I'd probably ask Gary Ablett if I was you OP.

you got me good job sherlock

 

[connoryeoell]

This is what I would do when kicking with my opposite foot.
I would always to 50 kicks in the morning, with my opposite(in your case left).
I would then do 50 kicks with my right hand on a wall, so your arm is parallel with the ground. Then focus on your ball drop with your left hand.
Just whenever you can, just kick the footy to yourself with your opposite foot, this will make it feel more natural, and is a big step in improving.

 

[Ahern2Boof]

Use a smaller football (one of those Auskick ones where you can fully grip the ball in one hand) to practice before gradually moving to a bigger, leather football. It's 70% about the ball-drop, which feels awkward as hell with your left hand and makes you wonder how your left hand can feel so uncomfortable but the ball drop on the right just feels perfect.

 

[Natho]

Can probably thank my dad for nudging me into practicing my right foot since I was about 10 years old. Its handy not being a one sided left footer.

 

[Barge]

Practice on your non-preferred with the same ball dropping technique you would on your preferred. A lot of players try kicking on their non-preferred holding it awkwardly and with two hands and wonder why it doesn't feel natural or comfortable. It will take a while to perfect but will benefit you no end in the long run.

 

[POKsPies252]

I'm left footed and I actually think I'm a decent right foot kick but I actually drop the ball with my left hand onto my right foot. Got a mate who does the same but the opposite, he's right footed and drops the ball onto his left foot with his right hand. Anyone else do this?? Probably not ideal but is still effective

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Don't practice it in the same way you learned kicking on your preferred foot.

The only time you'll use your left is when you absolutely have to - so practice kicking across your body and snaps.

Also don't worry too much about finesse - short, precise passes on your non-preferred are fraught with danger. All you need it for is a 'get out of trouble' option so you just need to be able to hoof something resembling a drop punt down the field a decent distance.

 

[UmpiringFooty]

Go to the nearest brickwall out side with your footy and try small kicks and focussing on getting the ball drop right on your non preferred foot. A bit like you would when you are trying to catch a tennis ball.

 

[Barge]

Don't practice it in the same way you learned kicking on your preferred foot.

The only time you'll use your left is when you absolutely have to - so practice kicking across your body and snaps.

Also don't worry too much about finesse - short, precise passes on your non-preferred are fraught with danger. All you need it for is a 'get out of trouble' option so you just need to be able to hoof something resembling a drop punt down the field a decent distance.

Dunno Sam Mitchell got as good as he is on his left foot by only practicing to "hoof it downfield to get out of trouble"!

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Dunno Sam Mitchell got as good as he is on his left foot by only practicing to "hoof it downfield to get out of trouble"!

No, he did it by having trouble with his right hip and kicking almost exclusively on his left side as a result!

 

[Cursed Cat]

Personally I found that getting your footwork leading up to the ball drop was essential.

i.e as a right-footer, I always naturally just knew that the left foot would be my last step before I kicked - obvious right ? but something in my brain would get muddled when kicking on the left (in the early days) - I found that if I had it firmly in my brain that I would be kicking after taking a final step on my right foot, I was golden.
It didn't take long to get the hang of it, and by that time I know longer really had to think about it.

like a few others have said, I eventually found my left foot to be more reliably accurate than the right - couldn't kick as far on the left though.

and must admit that I always dropped the ball with my right hand onto the left boot, never bothered learning to drop it with my left hand, being dual-sided was usually good enough to buy you a split second, the ball drop didn't make much difference with regards to set-up time etc. Looked a tad weird but it was pretty effective.

 

[MrNatural]

Just focus on practicing the ball drop, thats the most important thing.
I like to think I'm proficient on both sides of the body (im a righty), however my left foot kicks can skew off because my left hand isn't as great as the ball drop as my right