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I'm fairly liberal on throw ins. (Both feet on the ground? If the longest cleat is in contact with the tallest blade of grass, that's close enough for me.)
However, I feel we need to be sticklers-to-a-point primarily because this is a well-defined technical Law. Players should be familiar with its requirements and should develop the skills necessary to follow those requirements.
Also, the parents know this Law pretty well. If you get too lenient, they'll be all over your case. While you may be able to hold up to the criticism, your credibility in general will suffer. (If you allow a throw with one foot blatantly off the ground, how well will you call a trip? A hold? Offside? A goal?) The players will pick up on this. While you can turn a deaf ear to the complaints from the spectators (and even the coaches), having the players complain is harder to ignore and must be addressed.
Add to that the possibility of appearing to be biased. What if only the white team lifts their feet while the blue team is perfect? Let the white team get away with it, and you're playing favorites. Again, this jeopardizes your credibility with the players.
And there's the problem of having your authority questioned. If you point to "this spot" along the touch and the player throws form "that spot" five yards away, can you afford to ignore it? What other calls will they decide to ignore?
Finally, remember that an infringement on a throw in results in a change of possession. If you decide to overlook a raised foot or a sidewinder throw or a foot on the field, you have denied possession - legitimate possession - to the other team. For this reason, throw in infringements can never be considered trifling.
In general, a throw in is a case where we can (and should) shave a few points if it's close ("Naah, the foot came up just after the release."), but if it's too obvious we must enforce the Law.
12/16/01
Afterthought: As a rule of thumb, for Under-8s and younger, you could allow a second try by the same player on a foul throw in. Explain this to the coaches and players before the start. This lets the players enjoy the game while improving their skills.
12/26/01
(If you wish to comment on this article, send a message to basra@basra-refs.org.)
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