Short and Spin
Throw-ins: one comes short, one spins in behind, and the thrower throws to whoever is free.
At a glance
- Thrower (T) on the touchline with the balls. Two teammates about 5 m in: S and B. One defender. Two gates at the far end.
- S comes short to T. B waits, then spins away down the line. T throws to whichever of S and B the defender isn't marking.
- Score by dribbling through a far gate. If the defender wins it, they score through the gate behind the thrower.
- Teams of three take turns at the throw, a new thrower each go. The team without it sends a defender, and its other two practise throw-ins.
- Progress 1: A second defender: S and B are both marked, so they have to time their runs to get free.
- Progress 2: The thrower joins in after the throw: 3 against 2.
If it's not working: The defender walks.
- defender
- Tthrower
- Scomes short
- Bspins in behind
- run
- throw or roll
- 1in this order
The touchline is the left side. The thrower (T) has the balls; S and B start about 5 m in, with one defender. S comes short and the defender goes with S, so B is free: B spins away down the line and T throws into the space ahead of B. Score through a far gate. If the defender wins it, they score through the gate behind the thrower.
Full details: set up, how to play, tips and age tweaks
Set up
- An area 15 m wide and 20 m long, with the touchline as one long side.
- Two cone gates 2 m wide on the far end line: one by the touchline, one infield. One more gate on the near end line, behind the thrower, for the defender.
- Two teams of three in bibs, and a pile of balls by the thrower's spot on the touchline.
6 children: two teams of three, taking turns. With 5, the coach throws for both teams. With 7 or 8, everyone not in the go practises throw-ins at the side.
How to play
- One team has the throw: thrower T on the touchline, S and B about 5 m in. The team without the throw sends one defender, and its other two practise throw-ins to each other at the side.
- S comes short towards the thrower, fast. B waits a moment, then spins away down the line.
- The defender can only mark one of them. T throws to whichever of S and B is unmarked: short to S's feet, or down the line for B to run onto.
- Score by dribbling through a far gate. If the defender wins it, they score through the gate behind the thrower.
- Then the other team has the throw straight away and sends its own three. New thrower every go.
- A foul throw goes to the other team: feet down behind the line, ball from behind the head with both hands.
Keeping everyone moving
The teams take turns straight after each other, and anyone not in the go practises throw-ins at the side.
Make it easier
- The defender walks.
- Make the area wider so there's more space behind.
Make it harder, step by step
- A second defender: S and B are both marked, so they have to time their runs to get free.
- The thrower joins in after the throw: 3 against 2.
- The thrower has 5 seconds to throw.
Three things to say
- S: come towards the ball fast and ask for it at your feet.
- B: start close to your defender, wait for S to go, then spin.
- T: look at B first, and throw it early.
Words that work: "Great spin!", "Lovely early throw!", "Brilliant run short!"
Colts habit
Work hard: make your run even when the ball doesn't come to you.
Both feet
Take the throw on either foot and go.
Heads up
Thrower: look at B first.
For your birth year
Pick a birth year to show the tweak for that group.
- 2018 to 2019
- An area 12 m by 15 m, gates 3 m wide.
- 2016 to 2017
- Full size. Bring in the second defender once the first goes are working.
Safety: Throw to feet or chest, never at anyone's head. Runners keep their eyes up so nobody bumps into each other.
Keeping score: Goals from the spin, and goals from the short one.