Using a Kicking Tee

Using a Kicking Tee

I am often asked for advice on the use of kicking tees.  The most common questions are, “What tee should I be using?” & “When should I transition to a shorter tee or the ground?”  Here are some key pointers and my overall advice on the use of a kicking tee. 

Tee Rules:
Junior High & High School – You are allowed to use a Field Goal Tee and Kickoff Tee of up to 2 inches.  The most common tees are 1 and 2 inch tees.

College: You are NOT allowed to use any a Field Goal Tee.  You are allowed to use a Kickoff Tee of up to 1 inches. 

Advice for a Junior High School Kicker…..
    •    You are in your early development stages.  I usually encourage kickers to begin training in the 6th, 7th, and 8th grade years.  When you begin, take advantage of the rules and use a 2 inch tee both on Field Goal & Kickoff. 
    •    Use the standard Black Field Goal Blocks that you can find at local sporting good stores and www.WizardKicking.com and use the Black Ground Zero Kickoff tees available at www.WizardKicking.com.  Do not use the old school orange “Toe Style” Kickoff tee that you will find at department stores.
    •    Learn proper technique and mechanics from a young age.  Purchase the Chris Sailer Kicking Instructional DVD, attend Chris Sailer Kicking Camps, attend Chris Sailer Kicking Lessons from the beginning of your kicking career.

Advice for a High School Kicker:
    •    In 9th grade chances are you will still be in your early development stages.  Stick with the 2 inch tee at this time.  Again, take advantage. 
    •    10-12 Grades….read carefully:
    •    TRANSITION TO A 1 INCH TEE AND EVENTUALLY THE GROUND WHEN YOU ARE READY FOR THE THOSE TRANSITIONS.  YOUR KICKING COACH SHOULD BE ABLE TO HELP YOU MAKE THIS CHOICE!
    •    Learn proper technique and mechanics from a young age.  Purchase the Chris Sailer Kicking Instructional DVD, attend Chris Sailer Kicking Camps, attend Chris Sailer Kicking Lessons from the beginning of your kicking career. 
    •    Eventually you will start to get frustrated with the 2 inch Field Goal and Kickoff Tees because you will start clipping them at contact.  If this is happening and you are using the proper technique, THIS is the time to transition to 1″ tees at both skills.  Same applies for the transition from the 1 Inch Field Goal Tee to the ground.
    •    You should make transitions when your technique is good enough to do so.  You should not need to force a transition. 

11th grade offseason….. read carefully:
    •    If you want to play college football, this is the time you should be ready to kick Field Goals off the ground and Kickoffs off a 1 inch tee.  If you have been learning and training properly, this transition should be natural for you at this point.  If not, you will have to force this transition. 
    •    College coaches will want to see you kick off the Field Goals off the ground and Kickoffs off the 1 inch tee at their summer kicking camps / try outs.  Whether they ask you to or not, kick field goals off the ground and kickoffs off a 1 inch tee at these camps.  This is the only way the you will earn a scholarship. 
    •    During your 11th Grade Year it is also very common for the top kickers in the nation to kick Field Goals off the ground and Kickoffs off a 1 inch tee in Vegas at the Chris Sailer Kicking National Events. 
    •    If you make the “Invite Only” Chris Sailer Kicking “TOP 12” & “Event Elite” Camp, you will be asked to kick Field Goals off the ground and Kickoffs off a 1 inch tee.  This camp takes place in the summer.

12th Grade Season:
    •    During your 12th grade year you may choose to use the 1 inch tee once again on Field Goals.  Coaches will often force you to do so.  You may also choose to kick Field Goals off the ground if you feel confident.  This is always a tough call because of the poor field conditions you may see at the high school level and the influence a high school coach will have.  Do what is best for you.  You should be using a 1 inch Ground Zero Kickoff Tee at this point.

College and Pro:
    •    The day after your last game of your senior season, don’t ever use a Field Goal tee again.  You will now be kicking off the ground for the rest of your college and pro career.  Continue to use the 1 Inch Ground Zero Kickoff Tee.

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