Here we are on Superbowl Sunday, and while most of the U.S. is preparing to watch the big game, we're pondering how the beautiful game of soccer has impacted American football over the years. The NFL placekicker comes immediately to mind, with "soccer-style" kickers replacing most all of the "conventional" kickers in the NFL.
The first soccer-style placekicker in the NFL was Pete Gogolak, who joined the Buffalo Bills in 1964. Pete approached the ball differently from the conventional kickers. He took a diagonal approach to the football and struck it with his instep; conventional kickers took a straight-on approach and struck the ball with their toes. The soccer-style approach produced more accurate kicks, and any soccer player can tell you why. Striking the ball with a larger, flatter surface leaves less room for error, and the soccer-style kick is now pretty standard in the NFL.
When you watch the big game today, keep an eye on the style of Pittsburgh placekicker Jeff Reed and Arizona placekicker Neil Rackers. Did you know. . . both Reed and Rackers led their high school soccer teams to state championships? Reed was a captain of his soccer team at East Mecklenburg H.S. in Charlotte, NC and Rackers led his soccer team to consecutive state titles at Aquinas-Mercy H.S. in St. Louis, MO.
The Kickers hope you have a safe and happy Superbowl XLIII.
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