Football kicking training aid

Abstract

A football kicking training aid comprises a modified football having an attached patch on one or both ends, with Velcro.RTM. loop elements therein. The football is supported in place, for kicking by another player, by a user wearing a thimble or glove having Velcro.RTM. hook elements only at a fingerpad area thereof. The restriction of the Velcro.RTM. elements to the football patch and the fingerpad area of the glove or thimble urges the user to support the football only at the patch, and to continue supporting the football until the kicking action has been completed.

1 - 9 . (canceled)  
   
   
       10 . A football kicking training aid comprising in combination: 
 a football having at least one attached patch, said patch or patches covering only one or both pointed ends of said football and not having a diameter greater than two inches, said patch or patches having a plurality of either male or female fastener elements thereon;    a flexible thimble having a lateral area which user can position adjacent the fingerpad of said user wearing said thimble;    a pad on the said lateral area of said thimble, said pad having a plurality of mating fastener elements thereon complementary to said fastener elements on said patch or patches, said mating elements on said thimble worn by a user releasably engaging said mating elements on said patch located at the upper end of said football, whereby said mating of said complementary fastener elements urges a user to properly support said football, for kicking by another player, at said patch only at said upper end by a user's fingerpad within said thimble, and to continue supporting said football until the kicking action has been completed.    
   
   
       11 . The device as claimed in  claim 10  wherein said mating fastener elements disengage from said complementary mating elements upon a player kicking said football.  
   
   
       12 . The device as claimed in  claim 10  wherein said mating elements on said patch or patches comprise loop elements of the loop and hook product sold under the trademark VELCRO.RTM.  
   
   
       13 . The device as claimed in  claim 10  wherein said mating elements on said patch or patches comprise hook elements of the loop and hook product sold under the trademark VELCRO.RTM.  
   
   
       14 . The device as claimed in  claim 10  wherein the material of said thimble is natural or synthetic rubber.  
   
   
       15 . A football kicking training aid comprising in combination: 
 a football having at least one attached patch, said patch or patches covering only one or both pointed ends of said football and not having a diameter greater than two inches, said patch or patches having a plurality of either male or female fastener elements thereon;    a flexible glove having a plurality of fingers, said fingers having lateral areas positioned adjacent the fingerpads of a user wearing said glove;    a pad on said lateral area of the index finger of said glove, said pad having a plurality of mating fastener elements thereon complementary to said fastener elements on said patch, said mating elements on said glove worn by a user releasably engaging said mating elements on said patch located at the upper end of said football, whereby said mating of said complementary fastener elements urges a user to properly support said football, for kicking by another player, at said patch at said upper end by a user's fingerpad within said glove, and to continue supporting said football until the kicking action has been completed.    
   
   
       16 . The device as claimed in  claim 15  wherein said mating fastener elements disengage from said complementary mating elements upon a player kicking said football.  
   
   
       17 . The device as claimed in  claim 15  wherein said mating elements on said patch or patches comprise Velero.RTM loop elements of the loop and hook product sold under the trademark VELCRO.RTM.  
   
   
       18 . The device as claimed in  claim 15  wherein said mating elements on said patch or patches comprise Velero.RTM hook elements of the loop and hook product sold under the trademark VELCRO.RTM.