It’s rare for a soccer player’s biggest weapon to be his arm, but that’s exactly the case for Eastern sophomore midfielder Jake Irwin.

Irwin has a unique throwing motion that has always been effective, he said.

It was effective against Central Arkansas this season when one of his throw-ins went through the opposing goalkeeper’s hands and into the net for a goal.

His throwing motion is not typical; in fact, he said people have asked him if he’s ever broken his back before – that’s how weird it looks.

“I get my back arched, bring the ball forward and slingshot it forward,” Irwin said.

Rather than having a normal arch throw over his head, Irwin’s back and arms straighten like a board in the middle of his release, like a catapult.

“Nobody taught me how to throw,” Irwin said. “I’ve just always been able to do it.”

It’s been such a part of Eastern’s offense that the team has set plays for when Irwin throws the ball into play, he said.

He said the plays are set up similarly to a free kick or corner kick. If the ball goes out of play before reaching the end line and Irwin ends up throwing next to the corner field flag, it’s exactly like a corner kick.

“I can loft (the ball) or do a line drive,” Irwin said. “I’m pretty accurate with my throws now, I mean, we scored off of it.”

Irwin hasn’t had to change his throwing motion in his soccer career, but said there are people that nit-pick about his style.

“The way I throw it in, there’s nothing wrong with it as long as I don’t lift my foot or anything,” Irwin said.

His throw isn’t just a game day advantage either. The team practices his throw-ins, so it’s prepared for it.

“Whenever we get in range of the goal, we’re going to use it,” Irwin said. “It’s a big part of what we do.”

Irwin doesn’t have any goals this season because the throw-in goal was counted as an own goal against Central Arkansas’ goalkeeper.

Even so, Irwin said he scored the goal.

Alex McNamee can be reached at 581-2812 or admcnamee@eiu.edu.