A center who does a good job of snapping the ball is rarely noticed! Let him make a bad snap, though, and a play has been fouled up and he becomes the "center" of attention!

Being a good center has its rewards, though. You start every offensive play by your team. In those first few seconds you can guarantee that the play will at least start successfully. You give a world of confidence to your team when they can count on you to make a good snap almost every time! Here's what a T-formation center must learn to do.

1. Have a good spread between your feet. Your weight should be evenly balanced on both feet. Bend forward and down from your hips. Have a slight bend in your knees. When you are snapping the ball to the quarterback in the T-formation, your head is up and you are looking directly forward.

2. The ball is resting on the ground with its ends pointing toward the two goal lines. The laces are facing upward. Place your right hand on the front of the ball, taking a firm grasp with your fingers. Your left hand goes to the rear of the ball. Put a slight pressure on the ball with both hands.

3. Upon the signal for the snap, you make a quick "lifting" of the ball. There is a sharp upward movement by your right arm and hand and you firmly slap the belly of the ball into the palm of the quarterback's right hand. (His right hand is firmly placed in your crotch, which is the inside area between your legs where they join your trunk.) Your left hand acts as a beginning guide, then drops away from the ball. There will be a slight turn of the ball as the upward movement is made. This is a result of your wrist action.

1. On a direct pass to one of the backfield men, which may be for a running, passing, or kicking play, you change your snap. First, you must look at the world upside down! Bend your head down and look at your target. You have a firmer grasp of the ball with both your hands. The right hand goes under and around the front end of the ball. (That is, the end of ball nearest the other team's goal line.) The left hand goes under and around the rear point. You will use both hands to power the ball into its flight, but the main force comes from your right hand. The left hand acts as more of a guide for proper direction. In your forward lean be careful not to put too much pressure on the ball. Keep your weight on your feet. The proper snap will send the ball in a spiral back to the receiver.

2. On punting plays it will be necessary to snap the ball a distance of from ten to thirteen yards. You must give the punter a quick, chest-high snap that will enable him to get his kick away with a minimum of delay. On running plays, you will find it necessary to adjust your snap to the type of play. Sometimes a low, forceful snap is required. Other times you need to make a higher pass with less speed so that the backfield man can have time to move to the ball.

3. A center's life is not an easy one! It's just one difficult thing after another. Immediately after the snap, you must become a blocker. You will have to control a defensive opponent either directly ahead of you or possibly to either side. This requires you to concentrate first on the snap of the ball, then on the act of blocking. For a boy who likes lots of action, the center's position is ideal!

4. The center and the quarterback should spend lots of practice time together, especially if the T-formation is used. In the snap of the ball, they should function as one man!

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