How to take a throw-in

• Have index fingers and thumbs as close together as possible to form a ‘W’ shape
• Spread the fingers to hold the ball firmly

• Use both hands to throw the ball
• Have ‘loose’ arms, elbows bent and flared out
• Take the ball back past the ears
• Throw the ball from behind and over the head in a continuous motion, releasing it as it passes the front of the head
• Follow through with the throwing motion after the ball has been released

• Stay behind the line when throwing
• Keep both feet on the ground as the ball is released

Oh, and encourage players to give the ball a wipe before they throw it if it’s wet or muddy, or it may slip out of their hands!

Once players have mastered the technique of a throw-in, they may want to develop their throw-in skills by increasing the distance they can throw the ball. 

At this point, they can be encouraged to:

• Lean back to make the throw more powerful
• Add a run-up before throwing the ball in
• Increase the speed of the arm movement when they throw.

As players develop further, consideration can also be given to:

• The area to throw the ball into
• Who to throw the ball to
• How to throw the ball to give the receiver the best chance of controlling it.

Practising throw-ins

When players are first learning to take throw-ins, they will need opportunities to learn and practice the technique.

This can be done simply by allowing two players to throw a ball back and forth.

For players that are struggling with the basic technique, you can break it down into parts, coaching the action with the hands and arms first, for example, before moving on to looking at keeping the feet on the floor.

Fun games can be used to help players practise their throw-in technique under time pressure. 

For example, you may play a small-sided game where players throw rather than kick the ball, and the throws must be done with correct throw-in technique. This type of game is good for a warm-up activity.

When playing small-sided games in training, make sure to include throw-ins as part of the rules, and coach and correct technique as needed.

On matchdays, depending on the age and stage of your players, it may be that you can agree with the opposition coach and the referee to make an allowance for foul throws. 

So, rather than a foul throw automatically resulting in possession being awarded to the opposition, the player that committed it might be given a second chance to take the throw, with some guidance from you or the referee, allowing them to learn and practise.

Who should take throw-ins

Every single player (even goalkeepers!) will take throw-ins over the course of their time playing the game, so they all need to be able to successfully execute the technique.

Sometimes, particularly at younger age groups, the player closest to the ball will take the throw-in. 

This is done if teams want to take a quick throw-in – a tactic used to get the ball back into play swiftly before the opposition have a chance to get in shape. 

This is a scenario where the goalkeeper, in the very rare circumstances where they are the nearest player, may be required to take one!

Often, at older age groups and in the bigger soccer formats, it is the full-backs who take the majority of the throw-ins. 

The principle is that the left-back takes the throws on the left and the right-back does the same on their side.

Doing it this way allows a team to have more players in attacking positions, ready to receive the ball or join in with the play once the ball is back on the pitch.

Sometimes, teams may use their strongest thrower to take the bulk of their throw-ins, particularly for situations where a long throw-in may be of benefit – if it’s near to the attacking box, for example.