Have you ever watched a football game and saw a quarterback throw a bad pass? Chances are, you or someone you know would make a comment along the lines of, “I could throw better than that!” Most people don’t realize how difficult it is to throw a football accurately every play; it requires constant practice to achieve the perfect spiral. Throwing a perfect spiral consistently is the hallmark of a skilled passer, and taking time to perfect your throws will help you and your team perform at a higher level.
Why Is Throwing a Perfect Spiral Important?
Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just a beginner, throwing spirals consistently should be your ultimate goal towards becoming a better quarterback. First, throwing a football with a perfect spiral will greatly improve the accuracy of your passes, even in windy conditions. The spiraling motion that occurs when a football is passed allows it to be less subjective to the wind. This is similar to how a well-thrown frisbee’s rotational motion helps it slice through the wind and fly straight. Also, a controlled spiral is the quickest out of all passes, which is important when attempting to throw a pass to a receiver in tight coverage.
Now that you know why throwing a spiral consistently is important, let’s cover three essential tips for throwing perfect spirals every time.
1. Get a Grip
The placement of your fingers on a football makes a huge difference in the way the ball flies when released. To help you remember proper hand placement for throwing spirals, look at a football and picture an imaginary line running widthwise across the middle of the ball. Your entire hand should be on one half of the football when making a pass, ensuring that your hand never crosses that imaginary line. Holding a football on the side closest to your body will give you more control and power when making passes.
Your fingers should be placed on the ball’s laces with your thumb gripping the underside. On regulation footballs, there are seven potential places where you can place your fingers on the laces, but every quarterback has a different preference for finger placement. Most QBs will place three fingers on the laces and have their index finger positioned behind the laces on the side closest to their body. Try making a few passes with this setup first; if this grip does not feel comfortable and controllable, change the number of fingers you have on the laces. Getting more tack with Red River Football Mud and Clutch Hand Prep can help optimize your grip and finger placement on the football.
2. Flick the Wrist
Now that you’ve learned how to properly hold the football, let’s learn a valuable tip that will help you get one step closer to throwing perfect spirals on every play. Having a good grip on the ball is important, but achieving a perfect spiral comes down to mastering the downward wrist flick. As you’re releasing the football, quickly flick your wrist downward while allowing your fingers to gradually roll off of the laces. This motion is similar to the technique used for shooting baskets; a quick flick of the wrist will put spin on the ball and improve the accuracy of your shot. The same concept applies to throwing a football, and a well-executed wrist flick will give the ball a tight, accurate spiral.
Another factor to consider when practicing your throws is to use new, high-quality footballs that are similar to those used in actual games. Not all footballs are created equal, and practicing with poorly-constructed footballs can have a negative effect on your game. This is why thousands of quarterbacks across the nation trust the all-new Big Game USA Gamer football when practicing; its advanced leather composition gives it unparalleled grip and aerodynamics when flying through the air. Upgrading to a professional-grade football can make a huge impact on the rate at which your play improves.
3. Follow Through
We’re getting closer to throwing perfect spirals, but first, let’s review an often overlooked aspect of passing that every quarterback should remember. Practicing your follow-through can help you >increase the power and accuracy of your throws. But what does it mean to follow through? Let’s use baseball as an example. When a baseball player hits a baseball with their bat, the motion of their swing does not stop when they make contact with the ball; the natural momentum of their swing continues even after the ball is hit. After you release the football while flicking your wrist, allow the downward motion of your wrist to carry your arm through the throw. Following through will give the football the velocity it needs to spiral.
Although reading up on tips for throwing perfect spirals can help you understand how to improve your technique, there’s no substitute for hitting the field and practicing your throws. With these three tips in mind, however, you will start to notice improvements in your passing game while practicing. Our team at Big Game Football Factory is committed to helping you improve your game with our lineup of training footballs, ball bags, and everything else you need to level up your next practice. We’ve been innovators in the game of football for 30 years, and we’re ready to help you and your team get better every day.