Drop kick
A drop kick involves the kicker dropping a ball onto the ground, nose first if it is an oval ball, and then kicking the ball when it bounces off the ground. It contrasts to a punt where the kicker kicks the ball without letting it hit the ground first.
In American football, one method of scoring a field goal was by drop-kicking the football through the goal.
The drop kick was often used as a surprise tactic. The ball would be snapped or lateraled to a back, who would perhaps fake a run or pass, but then would kick the field goal instead.
This method of scoring worked well in the 1920s and 1930s, when the football was rounder at the ends. Early football stars such as Jim Thorpe and Paddy Driscoll were skilled drop-kickers.
In the 1930s, the ball was made pointier at the ends. This made passing the ball easier, but made the drop-kick obsolete, as the pointier ball did not bounce up from the ground reliably.
In Australian Rules football, a similarly named and executed kick was used in general play, particularly after a free kick was awarded.
It was popular as players could kick the ball long distances, and the ball's backwards rotation was reasonably easy for teammates to catch (a major feature of the game).
A variation known as the "stab pass" or more poetically, the "daisy cutter" involved an abbreviated follow-through and travelled on a notably low trajectory, which made it very useful for short-range passing.
The drop kick and stab pass gradually disappeared from the game by the 1980s, as it was unreliable, particularly on wet grounds, and players were coached to always use the drop punt kicking style to avoid having to make a decision on what kind of kick to perform.
In Rugby Union and Rugby League, a drop kick can be used to score a goal by kicking the ball above the crossbar and between the uprights. Typically it is only used for goals scored during open play - place kicks are usually used for penalties and conversions. A drop goal is worth 3 points in Rugby Union and 1 point in Rugby League.
England's victory in the 2003 Rugby Union World Cup final depended on a last minute extra time drop goal by Jonny Wilkinson.
It is also used in some situations to restart play. American Football
Australian Rules football
Rugby football