#1 Drill
1. Just snap!
2. Repetitions, and practice are the key.
3. Get your mechanics down.
Stance Position
The long snapper’s body is in a ready position, similar to the regular stance of a center’s
in a quarterback exchange. The ankles of the snapper are dorsiflexed. The flexion at the knees stretches the extensor muscles of the quadriceps. These slightly stretched muscles will aid contraction of the same muscle group. The lower spine rounds, displaying a stationary flexion of the spinal column. The rounding of the spinal column allows the snapper to focus on the punter. The football is extended with the hands toward the line of scrimmage. Both hands are neutral and the arms are approximately at 90 degrees flexion at the glenohumeral joints. The elbows are slightly flexed, which stretches the extensor muscles of the arms prior to rapid extension.
Acceleration Phase
In the second phase of the long snap, the body moves from stationary to
acceleration. The body weight on the ankles shifts from dorsi flexion toward
plantar flexion. The spinal column experiences extreme flexion as the football
proceeds on its angular path. The football travels in a clockwise rearward rotation with the hands. Extension and adduction of the glenohumeral joints causes the rearward motion of the arms. This motion leads both forearms and hands between the legs.
Release and Deceleration Phase
Phase three picks up where phase two leaves off. The spinal column is fully
flexed, allowing the arms and the football to pass and release freely between the
legs. In this release stage, a rapid extension of the forearm with medial rotation
accompanies the right hand pronation. The football is pushed away by the
fingers of both hands as it is released. Once the snap is made, the body loses
angular velocity, and this is deceleration. This deceleration is a result of the
braking force provided by eccentric contraction and the elastic components of
the antagonsitic muscle groups.
