On Monday and Tuesday of this week Chris Bodnar a combination specialists from Saskatchewan Canada was in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for an individual Punting and Kicking Lesson.
Last season Chris had an excellent 2009 season punting in the Canadian University League and was eligible for the 2010 Canadian Draft in May. However, Chris sustained a severe leg injury late in the 2009 season and his recovery lingered into the spring of 2010. The injury affected his training and he decided by Canadian rules to play another season in the University League.
The Canadian have much different rules than the NCAA and the NFL with regards to years they can play in the University League and be eligible for their draft..
Chris has had previous kicking and punting lessons in Phoenix, Arizona on a couple of occasions. Chris has decided training One on One with a kicking coach will prepare him for this upcoming football season.
During the first lesson my sequential camera produced a series of photographs that help me notice that Chris was dropping the ball outside his hip and punting leg. This was having an adverse effect on his punts. The sequential photos I took on the field gave me instant feedback to Chris’s problem.
Chris Bodnar Outside Drop - Wiping a Spiral
Monday night Chris went back to the hotel and did the mirror drill and worked on his drop. On Tuesday Chris was placing the ball directly in front of the leg and punting up and through it much better. (See above and below photos)
The second half of Tuesdays lesson was spent on Chris's field goal kicking technique. Last year Chris had a real issue with his foot placement on the ball. In the photo below you can see that Chris had the same issue early in the lesson. His foot position was causing him to wrap his foot around the ball causing him to kick a flutter ball and/or hooked his kicks to his right.
The sequential camera picked up the problem early and we addressed it with a couple of drills. Chris was a quick study and started to hit some better balls with a natural end over end rotation. The kicks were also going directly down the middle of the goal posts.
The final piece of the puzzle was for Chris to kick more up and through the ball. He was kicking and skidding through the kick. Translation - not getting up on this toe. Once again we worked some drills and eventually Chris started to kick up and through the ball. (See photo below)
It was a pleasure working with Chris Bodnar once again. He is a hard working professional that wants to take his game to the next level. Last year the One on One Kicking and Punting Lessons prepared him for the season and I hope once again they get him ready for the 2010 Canadian University Football Season.
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