When most parents hear the word holder, they think of the person catching the snap and setting the ball for a field goal. But in the equipment world, this page is really about the artificial holder — the training tool that holds the football in place when a kicker is practicing alone.

For many young kickers, this becomes one of the first “extra” pieces of equipment beyond cleats and footballs. And like most things in kicking, it can quickly feel like there are more opinions than answers.

An artificial holder can be a very useful training tool. It helps a kicker get more solo reps, creates a more consistent setup, and makes field goal practice easier when no human holder is available.

But it is still just a tool. It does not replace sound mechanics, clean contact, or eventually learning to kick off a real hold.

The real question for most families is simple: Should we buy one, make one, or skip it for now?

Since another player (the holder) catches the snap and holds the ball for the kicker during games, it’s important that the kicker is able to practice kicking even when that holder is not there to help. This is the majority of a kicker’s time at practice.

So, why is an artificial kicking holder important? We simply can’t rely on other people to hold footballs 99% of the time for a number of reasons. It allows solo practice. That may be the biggest benefit of all.

It also saves time. Instead of constantly resetting the ball by hand or waiting on someone else, the athlete can move through reps more efficiently.

It creates a more consistent setup. That consistency helps young kickers build trust and rhythm.

And it makes the kicking bag feel more complete. Once athletes begin taking kicking more seriously, a holder becomes one of those standard tools they expect to carry.

Early on, the main goal is simply to have something functional that allows the athlete to practice kicking footballs. The design of a kicking holder is not complicated at all. In fact, I grew up making my own holders using PVC from the hardware store with a three way joint connector.

Should you make your own? If you want to take the time (i.e. run to the local hardware store), I can’t overstate how simple it is to make the most basic version that will do the job in the sort term.

Making your own holder can be a perfectly reasonable option, especially for younger kickers or families who do not want to spend much right away.

A homemade holder can be inexpensive and useful enough to get started. If the athlete is still very new to field goals, a simple setup may be all you need.

The bigger question is not whether a homemade holder can work. It usually can.

The real questions are:

* Is it stable enough?

* Is it easy to carry?

* Is it easy to set up?

* Will the athlete actually keep using it?

That is where homemade options can lose some appeal over time. A do-it-yourself holder may solve the problem today, but if it is awkward, flimsy, or inconvenient, many kickers eventually move on from it anyway.

This is one of those realities in kicking culture. At some point, many older kickers begin using the same few training tools.

Part of that is because those products are visible at camps, in highlight videos, and in other kicker bags. Part of it is because once an athlete becomes serious, they want equipment that feels standard, portable, and proven. They want to ‘look the part, be in the club, etc.’

It’s the same reason young kickers decide to try and kick off the ground before they really need to (more on that in the blocks section coming up.)

Simply put, there is often a peer-pressure element to it.

A younger kicker may start with a homemade holder or a cheaper market option, but as they get older and view themselves as a ‘serious’ kicker with a national ranking, there is a good chance they will eventually want the same recognized holder they see everyone else using.

That does not mean they needed it on day one.

It just means that over time, convenience, familiarity, and presentation start to matter more.

A good holder should be simple, stable, and easy to use.

It should hold the ball in a repeatable way.

It should be easy to carry in a bag.

It should be durable enough to last through repeated use.

And it should make practice easier, not more frustrating.

That last point matters. If the holder shifts too much, does not support the ball consistently, or becomes annoying to set up, it starts wasting reps instead of helping them.

A bad holder is not just one that looks cheap. It is one that makes solo practice less efficient or less dependable.

Parents do not need to become product experts, but there are a few red flags to watch for.

Be cautious about holders that feel:

• flimsy
• awkward to transport
• inconsistent in how they support the ball
• overly gimmicky
• cheap in a way that creates frustration

The main thing to avoid is buying something just because it is available, only to realize later that it does not really serve the athlete well.

This is one of those items where “good enough” is fine at first, but “annoying every time you use it” is not.

One common mistake is assuming that buying the “right” holder will somehow solve deeper kicking issues.

It will not.

A holder can make solo reps easier and setup more consistent, but it does not replace clean contact, good posture, or repeatable tempo.

Another mistake is waiting too long to get any holder at all when the athlete is clearly serious and practicing often. At that point, the lack of a simple solo-practice tool can become an unnecessary obstacle.

For most young kickers, I would keep this simple.

If your athlete is just getting started, there is nothing wrong with beginning with a practical lower-cost holder or even a homemade one if it works well enough to support early reps.

If your athlete is practicing regularly and clearly sticking with kicking, it usually makes sense to buy a durable holder they can keep in the bag long term.

And if your athlete becomes more serious, there is a good chance they will eventually want the same standard holder they see other kickers using anyway. That is not necessarily because the brand itself creates better mechanics. It is because standardized gear tends to be more portable, more durable, and more familiar in the kicking world.

So my advice would be this:

Start practical.

Do not overspend too early.

But if the athlete sticks with kicking, buy something solid that they will actually want to keep using.