On Wednesday and Thursday Justin Rosembaum a kicker from Fort Valley State University in Georgia was in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for some Kicking Lessons.
Justin came to Milwaukee for some kicking lessons because he knew he had a strong leg but needed to work on technique. A friend of his mentioned my name and he checked me out my website; www.coachzauner.com . He felt I was the kicking coach that could help him take his game to the next level.
I must say after watching Justin warm p during the first session, he definetly had a strong leg but like many kickers lacked field goal kicking fundamentals. Justin was a good soccer player trying to be a football kicker.
During the first lesson I took these sequential photos and showed Justin that he was crunching and using what I called an Arm Bar that was restricting him from kicking up and through the ball. (Photos above and below)
As a result of not kicking up and throught the ball Justin would kick and fall off to the left side after kicking the football and almost face the left sideline. He would sometimes push his kicks right and other times he would pull his kicks left.
Justin was not kicking up and through the ball. (photo below)
During the football kicking lessons I took Justin to the press box to show him and review these sequential photos and some video of several NFL kickers.
The next morning in the second kicking lesson Justin started to kick up and through the ball much better. He was not crunching as much as the day before. His torso was much more upright on day two. His foot or ankle sometimes locked and other times it was unlocked. (Photos above and below)
We next worked on slowing down his approach and using a little more hip action. I told Justin to kick at about 60 to 70%. As he slowed down his approach and made better foot to ball contact the kicks started to get a better trajectory.
His kicks were starting to go straighter, higher and further. He was ending his kicks down field and on balance. (photo below) He was starting to feel and see results.
Justin was starting to get the hang of his new technique. After the two days of Kicking Lesssons Justin knows what he needs to work on to take his game to the next level.
It was a pleasure meeting and working with Justin Rosenbaum and I wish him the best of luck next year at Fort Valley State University.
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