Kickoff Tips
Check out these tips to help you improve your Kickoffs!
Kickoffs By Rank
Great Videos To Understand Kickoffs:
Video 1
Video 2
Bronze - Silver
Best Kickoff Technique: Drive Straight
Common Mistakes:
1. When going for kickoff, use your boost!
Gold
Best Kickoff Technique: Front-flip
Common Mistakes:
1. Hit the center of the ball.
2. On contact with the ball, flip in the direction discussed below.
Video For Gold:
Platinum - Diamond
Best Kickoff Technique: Diagonal-flip
Common Mistakes:
1. Make sure that you line up your flip before flipping.
Champ - SSL
Best Kickoff Technique: Speed-flip
Common Mistakes:
1. Not flipping soon enough = landing to close to the ball
2. Inconsistency! Practice here:
BFAA-45A5-7A56-73CC or A503-264C-A7EB-D282
Basics to Kickoffs
Kickoffs Mirror
For those who don't know, each side of the field is going to have the same kickoff set up as the opposing side. Simple as that
Spawns
There are 5 spawn locations for kickoffs.
a. Left Front, Right Front, Left Middle, Right Middle, Back Middle
b. You can Spawn at ANY spawn location, it is 100% Random!
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Winning a Kickoff
Just because the kickoff went on the opponent's side does not mean you won the kickoff
a. You win the kickoff by gaining possession after the kickoff
b. If the kickoff goes to the opponent's side and they gain possession, you did not win the kickoff, lost the kickoff
Cheating
A common phrase used during a kickoff is "I'm Cheating"
This means that someone is going to follow up on the kickoff and shadow the person who is lead on the kickoff. This allows your team to keep pressure on the play
This kickoff method gets used more frequently in higher ranked lobbies (starting around diamond)
If you do cheat and the opponents get possession after the kickoff, your pressure will give the opponent less time to react. It will decrease their chances to set up for a flick or pass. If you don't cheat and you go back to the net, they have more time to execute an effective play
Consistency
Do not use kickoffs you are not consistent within competitive
a. It is okay to practice your kickoffs in training or casual. Don't screw your teammates over by whiffing kickoff you have not mastered
b. Get comfortable flipping both directions. Don't just flip right or left; practice both!
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Passing Option
Safe Play - NOT Recommended
Cheating - Recommended
Safe Approach
People who go for boost instead of cheating typically do not trust their teammate's ability to win a kickoff
a. Going for boost is the safest way to ensure you are ready to defend after the opponent gets possession. But it's risky
b. This is not the preferred way to perform a kickoff, but a viable option for all ranks
c. This is the "worst-case scenario" mindset which can hurt the game-play. You should be trusting your team
d. If communicated, going for boost can be used to set up a pass to your team which can be very effective as well
Intermediate Tactics
Directions to Flip
When you start to improve your kickoffs, you will have a good understanding of speed and accuracy and you will be paying attention to the opponent's movements. This will help you predict where they are going to hit the ball. These are basic rules. Advanced gameplay can change these rules.
Straight 50/50
If you see the opponent in the middle, use your best judgment and flip any direction. Difficult 50/50
Left Appearance
If you see the opponent on the left side of the ball, flip into the ball and to the right
Center Shot
If you swing towards the center of the field before making contact with the ball, you are more likely to "win" the kickoff by hitting it to the opponent's side
Right Appearance
If you see the opponent on the right side of the ball, flip into the ball and to the right
Where to Hit the Ball
You want to make sure that you flip soon enough so when you land, you have enough time to jump again to hit the ball
The more centered you hit the ball, the more likely you are to "win" the kickoff Reference Image Below
Refer to the Image for Clarification
When to use your Dodge
Knowing when to flip can change the outcome
Tips: If you reach the ball...
FIRST: blue car - Dodge after opponents touch
SECOND: black car - Dodge on Contact with the Ball
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Delay the Kickoff
Delaying your kickoff is a very viable option, especially when the clock time is low
When approaching the ball, slow down right before the ball
Single Jump and when they hit the ball flip into the ball or flip towards the direction the ball is redirected too
The delayed kickoff can help ricochet the ball back towards the opponent's side of the field
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Boost Management
After your kickoff, you should have around 8-13 boost. This is critical for recoveries / capitalizing on the play
Mid-field 100% Boost pad should be saved for the person going for the kickoff
If you're not going for the kickoff: only take mid-boost if the opponent is going to beat your teammate to the boost pad. Keep into consideration rotation / positioning
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Kickoff Rotation
Basics
The kickoff sequence for which car goes is in this order: Most Front Left -> Most Front -> Most Left
2v2 Kickoff Rotation Guide
This is all SOLO QUE standards!! If you have a mic, then you can adjust your playstyles to coordinate passes
Images
To use this diagram below effectively ensure you are utilizing the following:
You can either choose the orange or the blue path if you are not going for the kickoff
Orange = Following the Head Kickoff Car to maintain pressure
Blue = Going back for boost, more defensive
After you picked your path, (orange or blue) utilize the "Assess the play here" icon.
a. If you have NO defensive threat then you should follow the red line and be rotating upfield to maintain pressure
b. If you have a defensive threat, you should follow the purple line and rotate toward the net
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2v2 Kickoff Rotation
3v3 Kickoff Rotation
Train Kickoffs
1v1 Showdown!
Objective:
Complete a kickoff against your friend and whoever wins the kickoff scores a goal immediately
Reset and go at it again
If playing with more than 1 person, swap out the person who got scored on
You can either have unlimited time/score or put a limit.
Training Pack:
Attempt a kickoff, once you hit the ball, reset your shot
Repeat
If you make a mistake, just reset it immediately
You don't have to wait for the ball to be scored
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Freeplay: Disable Unlimited Boost!
You want to disable unlimited boost to have the best and most accurate experience when in freeplay
If you train with unlimited boost, you will learn bad habits and it will decrease your performance in rank / casual matches against other people
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Fake Kickoffs
Do it or Don't?
1. Only perform fake kickoffs when you are your teammate agrees to it. Do not be that guy who just drives backward to get boost without letting your teammate know what you're doing
2. The more comfortable you get with fakes, the more effective they will become. The downside of fake kickoffs is that if the opponent predicts you will fake, then there is a have a huge chance to get scored on due to positioning and lack of possession
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3. There are several different types of fake kickoffs. Below is a video of the diagonal fake kickoff into a pass play
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