Greenon High School Girls Soccer Player Uses Flip Throw for Longer Pitches

The Greenon girl's soccer team is finishing their season with a record of 15-0-1 and setting their sites on the state tourney, but sophomore Lauren Strickland has a really cool talent.She uses a throw-in technique called a Flip Throw to generate more power and farther throw-ins in her soccer games. If you have never seen this technique, the flip throw has a high level of difficulty combining gymnastics and soccer and is pretty unusual in High School athletics. The video of this local athlete was so cool that I had to provide this link to everyone I could! Congrats, AC, you all get to see this feat take place in real time. Go to http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/mplayer/video of the day/33716 to see Lauren perform her throw a few times. Make sure you watch to the end - it is very cool. ¹ Michael Cooper of the Springfield News-Sun and Staff Photographer Bill Lackey have done a great job. although my review of the story is short, you can get more information from Michael Cooper's article in the paper at the link proved. You can also see Bill's photo at the same site.

Seeing this video and story really sparked an interest in me because of the amazing talents that some of our local athletes have and sometimes don't get credit. So, you want to learn to do it? I do, never will, but I'd love to be able to. As you know guess, the soccer flip throw originated because of the natural limits to the distance and power you can put behind a normal throw-in. There is only so much power generated when you can bend your back and flex your arms no matter your strength or flexibility. The flip throw significantly increases the power and distance on your throw and is legal. There are a few rules when completing a flip throw, according to the US National Soccer Team Players Website ² - both feet on the ground, both hands on the ball, and throw straight over your head and not from the side. According to this site, the flip throw accommodates all of these rules, except of course for the front flip that is performed with the ball. Obviously, the momentum gained by using your body to create a circular flinging motion, much like a trebuchet or catapult, send the ball further than by throwing it in over your head normally.

A warning is that you should be able to do a front flip before even considering putting a ball under your hands. So, the mechanics of this throw go like this, according to Kim Pickup (former San Diego Spirit player):

"1. Take a step forward with your left leg and begin to bend at your waist,
2. Kick your right leg backwards into the air and plant your hands on the ground palms down,
3. Bring your left leg up in the same upward motion as the right,
4. Tuck your head as your legs rotate over your body, and
5. Your left leg should land first but your right leg will land at almost the same time." ²

Kim goes on to say, "Once you've mastered the flip and are able to land it on your feet every time, start incorporating a nerf soccer ball; using a nerf ball when trying the flip throw is a lot easier than a real ball. That means practice doing the flip touching the ball to the ground instead of your hands, keep your elbows slightly bent to cushion you as you flip, and release the ball when you plant your feet. Once you've mastered the flip with the nerf ball then move onto a real ball; using a real ball isn't easy and it takes a lot of practice to finally master the flip-throw. It isn't easy so be patient and don't get frustrated. It took a lot of time for me to actually master the flip-throw." ²

This website listed drills and tips that can be used to improve this technique as well as some cautions. For more information, I have listed a number of sites below for more information on this technique. Enjoy!

Additional Flip Throw Sites:

How to Do a Flip Throw-In - NASL Drills - Best source for soccer ...
... mastered the flip and are able to land it on your feet every time, start incorporating a nerf soccer ball; using a nerf ball when trying ...
http://www.nasl.com/drills/flip_throw_in.htm

Video.ozCentral.com.au - soccer flip throw
... i have now perfected the art of the flip throw the flip throw is used in soccer when you need a MASSIVE throw from the sidelines. im that guy ...
http://video.ozcentral.com.au/Sport/soccer-flip-throw/

Meet Chad
Talents: "A flip-throw-in (soccer). That's when you do a handspring with a soccer ball. It makes the throw-in like a kick.
http://www.eligiblemag.com/chad.htm

The flip throw
... set aside just for the flip throw. This throw in method has provided numerous goals and goal scoring chances ... The flip throw can and ...
http://www.bv229.k12.ks.us/bvw_soccer/flip%20throw-in.htm

Comments on How to Do a Flip Throw-in in Soccer - eHow.com
Do a Flip Throw-in in Soccer A flip throw-in allows you to turn a basic restart of play into an offensive tactic by shooting the ball back ...
http://www.ehow.com/tips_5259.html

How to Do a Flip Throw-in in Soccer | eHow.com
How to Do a Flip Throw-in in Soccer. A flip throw-in allows you to turn a basic restart of play into an offensive tactic by shooting the ball ...
http://www.ehow.com/how_5259_flip-throw-soccer.html

Sports - How To Information | eHow.com
How to Buy a Kid's Soccer Ball as a Gift ... What's soccer without a ball? For home play, or if you're a parent and the league ...
http://www.ehow.com/list_1077.html

Flip Throw-in - Soccer Fans Network Forums
Flip Throw-in Training Tips, Rules, & Match Officials ... ... you can throw a ball close to 40 or 50 yards if you can master the "flip ...
http://forums.soccerfansnetwork.com/showthread.php?t=18270

Here are some pictures of the sports I enjoy, gymnastics and
Here is my soccer picture from 2 years ago. Here is me doing a flip throw-in for soccer. This inables me to throw the ball a long ways.
http://govschl.ndsu.nodak.edu/~eament/sportspic.html

NC-Soccer Forum - Coaches Corner - flip throw-in
Author: Subject: flip throw-in - [21 Replies | 1045 Views] ... flip throw-in We play a boy who does an amazing flip throw
http://nc-soccer.net/forum/viewthread.php?tid=15687

Article References:

¹Michael Cooper is a writer for the Springfield News-Sun; Bill Lackey is a staff photographer for the Springfield News-Sun; Access the Soccer Flip Throw at http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/mplayer/video of the day, 10/11/07.

²US National Soccer Team Players Website. http://www.nasl.com/drills/flip_throw_in.htm, article accessed 10/11/07.