American football is a national obsession and one of the most widely viewed and attended games. Two teams battle to get the ball over the opposing teams goal line, with a number of maneuvers and techniques. One such technique is the spiral throw, which is the preferred way of landing a ball on its target. For a spiral throw to be efficient, the ball must be gripped in the correct manner by the passer, usually the quarterback of the offensive team.
Step 1
Observe the size of the thrower's hand. The position of the hand on the football is determined by the size of the hand, in that larger hands should grip the ball near the middle and smaller hands should grip the ball closer to the end of the ball. Positioning the hand on the ball in the correct manner will increase control of the ball.
Step 2
Hold the ball with fingers resting on or between the laces and the thumb parallel to the middle finger in a type of "C" formation. The middle finger and thumb should be resting below the white line around the end of the ball. Placing the fingers between the laces improves grip of the ball. The exact position of the fingers on the laces will differ with hand size. The index finger can sit near or on the tip of the ball for better control, especially for smaller hands.
Step 3
Leave a space or gap between the ball and the skin between the thumb and index finger. This will reinforce the grip of the fingers on the ball. Snap the ball back close to the shoulder and throw, letting the ball spin off the fingers, keeping the arm straight as it extends.
Things You'll Need
- Football
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