Throw-ins are 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. It is also one of the most nerve-wracking tasks in the game. For one thing, everything stops, and all attention
is on the person throwing the ball in. 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.
Pick up the ball. Unless you're the goalie, you don't get to use your hands much in soccer, so enjoy it while you can.
Grip the ball with both hands and bring it behind your head. Your hands should be "behind" the ball so that your palms will
push the ball forward when you throw it in. Make sure you've got a firm, but comfortable, hold on it.
Position your feet facing the field. 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. Do whatever feels most
comfortable to you.
Scan the field. 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.
Run up to the sideline to throw the ball. Get a short running start--just 2-4 steps--to help you gain the needed momentum
to power the ball to its target.
Arch your back slightly. Do this right before you're ready to actually throw the ball. 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.
Square up with your target and plant your front foot. When you're ready to throw the ball, make sure your shoulders are
square with your intended target. This is crucial for making an accurate throw, and also necessary because the ball must travel
directly over your head.
Now stop your run and plant your leading foot.
Release the ball. 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 drag the toe of your back foot on the ground. Dragging your toe
adds stability and accuracy and helps prevent you from being carried over the sideline. Extend your arms fully and release
the ball from just behind the head.
Run onto the field to re-enter play. You've completed the throw-in. Hopefully you got the ball to your teammate. Now 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.
The running start is designed to get better distance on the ball. Sometimes it's imperative to just deliver the ball a
short distance as quickly as possible. In this case, you can skip the running, but make sure you pay attention to the rest
of the fundamentals.
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. If you're in the middle of the field, you want to try
to advance the ball, but keep it under control. Find an open teammate, preferably upfield. Near your opponent's goal, you
should try to set up a scoring opportunity. You can't score directly off a throw-in, but if you can throw far enough you can
try to get the ball to the center of the field where a teammate can punch it into the goal. Alternatively, you may want to
try a short throw-in to someone who can quickly cross the ball to the center of the field.
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.
Want to throw the ball really
far and look impressive doing it? Try a flip throw-in. See the related wikiHow for instructions.
Practice throw-ins regularly. Practice makes perfect, of course, and you'll be a lot less nervous if you know you can throw
the ball in accurately.
