Do a Throw in Soccer

Throw-ins are small but crucial moments in a soccer game: they present an opportunity to maintain possession of the ball, capitalize on a turnover or - unfortunately - lose possession of the ball yourself. As such, the throw-in is one of the most fundamental skills in soccer. Add to this the fact that many players ignore the development of throw-in skills, and you've got a recipe for disaster. Don't fret, though. Follow these steps, and with a little practice, you'll be able to take advantage of throw-ins like the pros.

Steps

Doing a Normal Throw-in

  1. Pick up the ball with both hands, one on each side of the ball. Your hands should be roughly evenly spaced -- if the ball was a clock, your right hand would be at 3:00 and your left at 9:00. It can help to shift them back a bit, too, so your thumbs are almost touching in the back of the ball. This helps you get a bit more leverage on the throw.
    • Throw-ins only occur when the whole ball passes over one of the sidelines. You must throw the ball from the point where it left the field.[1]
  2. Position your feet facing the field, with your toes on the sideline. Both feet must be behind or on the sideline, and touching the ground, for a legal throw. Separate your feet and point your toes to the field, setting them up however you're comfortable. If you want to try a running throw, stand a few feet behind the sideline so that you can run up to the line without crossing it. Some players like to keep their feet together, while others like one foot in front of the other.
    • Remember that your feet cannot cross the line when throwing the ball in -- this is an infraction that can cost your team the ball.[1]
  3. Arch your back slightly. Many players try to throw exclusively with their arms, but most of the power should come from your back and shoulders, as well as the momentum from your running start. Think of your body like a catapult being pulled back -- your feet are still firmly planted, but your spine becomes a loaded spring. Do this right before you're ready to actually throw the ball.
    • For now, just work on arching as much as is comfortable. Work on getting proper form first, then throwing the ball further later. A light bend is enough to start learning with.
  4. Starting behind your head, bring the ball up and over your head. A legal throw in must travel "from behind and over his [or her] head."[1] Referees might be a touch lenient here for a quick throw, but you must, at least, start with the ball held above your head.
    • You will likely get called for an infraction if you start a throw from your forehead, or further forward. This can happen accidentally on quick throws.
  5. Release the ball with a forward flick of the wrists. Bring your arms up and forward so that your hands and the ball travel directly over your head. At the same time, bring your arched back forward like a spring and (if performing a running throw) drag the toe of your back foot on the ground. Extend your arms fully and release the ball from just behind the head. Remember to keep your head up and facing straight after the ball is released so you don't just throw the ball to the ground.
    • Your release point depends on how far the throw needs to go. For big throws, let go as you pass over your head. For shorter passes, hold onto the ball until you cross your forehead or so.
    • You cannot spin the ball with one hand. The ball must leave both hands evenly though most referees are okay as long as you don't intentionally spin the ball.[1]
  6. Run onto the field to re-enter play, but don't touch the ball until one other player has. You cannot touch your own throw-in until another player (on either team) has touched it. So get back out there to help move the ball into scoring position. If, on the other hand, you accidentally threw the ball to your opponent, you can make up for it by running out to try to steal the ball back. Always follow up your throw by getting back in the game and back in position, ready for play to resume.
  7. Review the rules to ensure perfect, legal throw-ins. The rules for throws are not super difficult, but you should be mindful of them with every throw. Even the pros sometimes step over the line and get caught, but it is no less embarrassing when you do it in a game. A legal throw-in must have all of the following elements:
    • You are facing the field of play
    • Both of your feet are on or behind the line and are at least touching the ground.
    • You use two hands with even pressure (cannot spin the ball)
    • The ball comes from behind and over your head.
    • You cannot score directly off a throw-in.[1]

Taking Better Throw-Ins

  1. Work quickly. Throw-ins are rarely great offensive opportunities, and this is by design
  2. Aim for your teammates feet whenever possible. The easier you can make it for your teammate to trap the ball and start moving, the better for everyone. Try to land the ball near their feet so that they can treat it just like a pass. Note, however, that there are times when your aim needs to change up a bit:
    • If you communicate well, a throw to your teammates head, allowing them to flick it on, is a great way to get two quick passes in and scramble the defense.
    • If there is a lot of traffic, and you're worried about getting picked off, aim for the chest. Your teammate can use their body to trap and shield the ball, and it is a much bigger target to hit.[2]
  3. Put some power on your throws, treating them like passes. Don't just float the ball in. This gives the defense plenty of time to react and pressure the ball, which generally means your teammate is under attack before the ball even gets there. Put a little "oomph" on your throws, really dialing them in like passes. While you don't want to chuck it at a teammate, you don't want to lob it in, either.
  4. Scan the field for players on the move. Deciding where to deliver the ball is the most important step. You may have set plays for this or you may just need to find an open player. Once you've made your decision, you'll need to execute quickly so that your opponent can't detect where you're going to throw. It is always best to hit a teammate on the run instead of standing still. Movement makes the defense react -- standing still makes their lives easy.
  5. Use a running throw for added distance. Get a short running start--just 2-4 steps--to help you gain the needed momentum to power the ball to its target. Plant whatever foot is comfortable behind the line as you start your throw. Your back foot, which still has momentum, drags on the ground behind you to ensure you still keep both feet down.
    • Your strong leg should be forward which is the opposite of how it would be if you were throwing a baseball.
    • In general, anything longer than 2-3 steps doesn't add much more power to the throw.
  6. Throw the ball down the line towards you opponents goal when in doubt. If you've got no options, your team isn't moving, and the referee is telling you to "hurry it up," chuck it down the line towards your opponents goal. This leaves the defense few simple options to handle the ball, and the most likely result will be another throw in further down the field.
    • Tell your teammates, if possible, to sprint down the line as you're throwing. If you can pressure the defense quickly off the ball you have a better chance of forcing an error.
  7. Never throw the ball in directly in front of you, or "square" to the field. Never throw the ball straight ahead, unless there are no defenders or pressure (like deep in your own defensive half). Think about it -- a throw-in is a high, slow, and predictable pass, one that is easily read and picked off. Furthermore, your teammate will receive the ball facing the worst possible direction -- the sideline. The chances of an error or, even worst, getting picked off, are compounded by the fact that the defense running after the ball is heading right towards your goal.[4]



Tips

  • Keep your feet on the ground. If you lift your back foot you may be penalized by referees.
  • Be sneaky. Maybe you just want to deliver the ball to a teammate a few feet away, but your opponents keep swarming your target. Get a running start and act like you're going to throw far, or make it appear that you're going to throw upfield but then throw downfield. Little tricks like this can keep your opponents guessing and help your teammates get open.
  • As soon as you get the ball in your hands, get a running start, then plant both feet at the sideline, and throw. It is important to do it quickly and catch the other team off-guard.
  • The first picture is misleading since the two examples that are "wrong" are actually allowed since the feet are on the sideline. The written description is correct though.
  • Strategy is very important in the throw-in. If you're close to your own goal, you want to be extremely careful where you throw the ball. Generally, short, quick throw-ins are less risky here.

Warnings

  • A free kick will be awarded to your opponent if you throw the ball in and touch it before another player touches it.
  • A throw-in will be awarded to the opposing team if one or more of the following occur during a throw-in: one or more feet cross fully over the touch line into the field of play, the player fails to deliver the ball from behind the head in one continuous motion, or the back foot is lifted from the ground during the follow through. In the first two cases, if a referee disallows the throw-in he is guilty of trifling; in the last case, he is guilty of violating Law 15.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/afdeveloping/refereeing/law_15_the_throw_in_en_47365.pdf
  2. ↑ http://www.soccer-training-info.com/how_to_do_flip_throw_in.asp
  3. ↑ http://www.active.com/soccer/articles/the-art-of-the-flip-throw
  4. ↑ http://athletics.ithaca.edu/coaches.aspx?rc=999&path=msoccer
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