Player Spotlight – Albion SC Phenom Téa Carrillo’s Throw-ins Are the Real Deal
Youth Soccer Player Spotlight Feature
Many players eventually develop a specialty that they become known for. Maybe they are penalty kick specialists or they excel at corner kicks, like David Beckham who is known world-wide for Bend it Like Beckham. Rarely does a player become known for the throw in, and even rarer is that player who develops it into a true weapon to help a team succeed. But one extraordinary young lady is doing just that for Albion SC‘s GU17 White team, coached by Noah Kooiman.
Téa Carrillo, a solid defender who also plays on the Poway High School varsity team under the direction of Jen Lalor-Nielsen, has developed into the most effective throw in specialist in the country. Using a highly unusual but effective motion that Kooiman has described as “a really cool contortionist or Transformer power-throw,” Carrillo regularly fires amazing 40-yard throw ins.
“I remember a year ago during my routine try-outs for my Albion GU16 White team,” recalled Kooiman. “I had just started my training session and Téa looked solid on the ball. She was fast, and she processed the game well. All of a sudden she runs off the field to get the ball to take the throw-in, and my jaw dropped. What I saw was amazing.”
“Téa did some sort of contortionist or Transformer move with her body and arms, and then threw the ball at least 40 yards,” said Kooiman. “I was blown away. I said, “Do that again,” and she did it. She was the real deal! I told Téa, “You’re on the team girl!” She just smiled like it was no big deal.
While it may be “no big deal” for Téa, being able to fire a ball 40 yards on a consistent basis – and accurately enough to directly set up goals – is quite a feat.
“My team uses this new weapon against our opponents,” continued Kooiman, whose team plays in the challenging Coast Soccer League Premier Division.
“I have also had many colleges asking about Téa as a player and her amazing Gift. I want to add that Téa is not only a great student-athlete, but more important she is very coachable and an amazing teammate.”
“All I can say when I watch her is, wow!”
San Diego WPSL SeaLions Head Coach Jen Lalor is also familiar with Tea’s talents as she has coached her high school team. “Tea is a multi faceted soccer player and is incredibly gifted on and off the ball. She is the real deal and one of the most complete players I have seen. The attributes that she possesses covers every aspect on the playing field. She is a solid outside defender that loves to attack. She wins balls in the air and is a great 1 vs 1 defender. She is very smart, aware and focused on the field. She also makes incredible runs forward with and without the ball and Tea is always putting herself into a position to attack down the flank. It is rare to find defenders that have the confidence to attack as much as she does. She is ‘the player’ that can change the game for you,” said Lalor.
“Tea also has the most incredible throw in I have ever witnessed,” said Lalor. “Her ability to throw the ball in with incredible distance ( 40 yards) with accuracy and with a hard line drive trajectory to it is an incredible tool to have. We score in High School games often because her throw in is just like a corner kick and it is accurate every single time. She is that special kind of player that is rare and hard to find.”
Check out more footage of Téa’s throw in prowess:
