Choosing The Best Kicking Tee
I shot this video to demystify choosing the best kicking tee and also help debunk several ideas held by many high school kickers, their parents, and coaches. Every week I get the question “What kickoff tee should I use?” or “What field goal block should I use?” Today’s video will answer these questions and go in-depth on why & when you should use a certain kicking tee. If you have any additional questions about selecting the best kicking tee, simply post a comment below this post or add a comment to the YouTube video.
Specific Kickoff Tee Recommendations
We’re a big fan of the Under Armour kickoff tee which is designed by former NFL Kicker Shaun Suisham. The football stays on the kicking tee much longer in windy conditions; and allows for various tilts of the ball for different kickoff strategies such as long kickoffs, sky kicks, and onside kicks. However, in early 2020, Under Armour got out of the inflatables market, meaning they no longer make footballs and tees, so these UA kickoff tees were phased out.
2024 Update
As of 2024 the Ground Zero kickoff tee is one of the original modern kickoff tees and has been improved upon over the years and is the gold standard. These are the ones that most college and NFL Kickers use. Be sure to use our unique KW discount code for Wizard Sports (listed at the bottom of every KW monthly email). If you’re not subscribed, you can add your email on the bottom of our website at KickingWorld.com. We do not recommend the old orange kickoff tees which are designed for toe-punchers / straight-on kickers. We also do not recommend the SKLZ kickoff tee as the ball falls over fast on windy days and has too long of a front base, which many kickers catch with their kickoff foot, causing a loss of distance. We do have a few very successful college students who use the SKLZ but feel the Ground Zero 1″ is the way to go – it’s heavier, more stable, and allows for cleaner foot to ball impact with less cleat to tee contact.
In my opinion, the Ground Zero kickoff tee is the best kicking tee. Check out my Amazon product recommendations for the most up-to-date kicking products you need in your arsenal.
Take a look at this new blog post about choosing the best field goal block and why most kickers we see at camp kicking off the ground should actually be using a block. Learn about the various field goal block sizes (slightly different than a kickoff tee) and why whether you’re in high school, middle school, or kicking for a youth football program you absolutely need to use a field goal block (aka kicking block or placekick tee).
-Coach Brent, Owner of Kicking World
