Although it has a relatively straightforward concept of "soccer but with cars," the now free-to-play Rocket League has had consistent success ever since its launch in 2015 thanks to a very high skill ceiling. Some players can barely hit the ball when it is off the ground, while others are able to jump off the ceiling, reset their jump multiple times on the ball in mid-air, and score a flying trick shot from the other side of the field. Regardless of what skill level Rocket League is being played at, everyone quite literally starts in the same spots: one of five potential starting positions for every kickoff.
It's tough to definitively say which starting position is objectively the best because Rocket League is constantly situational, but the two slightly off-center positions offer the most utility. These two start ahead of the single, central position in front of the goal, but behind the two wideout positions closest to the ball. The kickoffs themselves are entirely unpredictable. Regardless of where the players start, in a 3v3 Standard match at least two rocket-powered cars are usually going to be slamming into the ball in the center of the field. The unceremonious beeline for the ball is typically the role of the player who starts in one of the two positions farthest up the field, and unless a team has good kickoff communication, most players won't want to deviate from this strategy and allow the other team a free chip shot.
Conversely, the farthest back starting position – the one right in front of the goal in Rocket League – will also feel compelled to fulfill the opposite role of goalkeeper until there's an opportunity to rotate up the field. With the front two positions almost always going for the ball, and the back position usually remaining in goal, that gives players starting off-center the flexibility to fill missing positions depending on where the other team spawns or essentially do as they please if teammates already have the ball and goal covered.
Kickoff Strategy in Rocket League
Having definitive strategies in Rocket League is almost impossible thanks to the usually-fast pace the game is played at. Although climbing the ranks in different Rocket League game modes will require their own strategies because of the varying team dynamics, an important part of playing Rocket League is learning how to properly rotate through different positions with your teammates. Learning proper rotations can be difficult since everything is extremely situational, but the idea presents itself pretty plainly when it comes to the kickoff.
As previously mentioned, the player closest to the ball will usually want to go for it. It's relatively easy to get a shot on goal with the stationary kickoff and even seasoned Rocket League players can get caught off guard by a well-placed chip from mid-field. The farthest back player will most likely want to stay in goal until a teammate rotates to replace them, leaving the third teammate (in the case of Standard 3v3) free to act based on the situation.
Not having a set role alleviates some of the pressure, but quick thinking can quickly set the team up for a scoring opportunity. With a secure lead, the off-center starting position might want to help on defense to ensure they win the Rocket League match, or take the opportunity to pick up a 100% boost pad. If down a goal or two, a quick reaction after the kickoff might result in a quick score or at least possession of the ball. Rocket League strategy is complex for such a seemingly simple game, and starting positions are only a minor facet of it.