in gridiron football, the holder is the player who receives the snap from the long snapper during field goal or extra point attempts made by the placekicker. the holder is set on one knee seven yards behind the line-of-scrimmage. before the play begins he places the hand which is closest to the place kicker on the ground in a location designated by the kickers foot (in high school games, the holder/kicker combo is responsible for a kicking block, which lifts the ball off the turf), with his forward hand ready to receive the snap. after receiving the snap, the holder will place the football on the turf, or block, ideally with the laces facing the uprights and the ball accurately placed where the back hand was initially, then balancing the ball with one or two fingers until the ball is kicked.