US Soccer ban headers for children under 11 over concussion fears

[Bold Seagull]

Why adults think heading is an important factor in youth football is beyond me?

I guess some people would rather the see competition than development.

I don't think anyone does!! That is the point, or no point in the ban!

I've been coaching for 5 years, now at U10's and I don't see or hear of much coaching or concentration on heading. I've been to various tournaments and festivals and don't see a lot of heading.

Where is all this heading going on that you are referring to!?

 

[Megazone]

Where is all this heading going on that you are referring to!?

Hardly ever hence why I think it's a good idea to get it banned for kids under 11.

Most kids at that age can't even lift the ball (kicking). What's the point in teaching them headers?

I don't think anyone does!! That is the point, or no point in the ban!

Heading the ball is an integral and exciting part of the game as well as an important facet in developing individual technical skills.

 

[jackanada]

The issue is that while the brain will recover from the minor trauma of heading a ball, the brain will not hurt and you wont know its time to take it easy. Continued impact, however minor, can then cause brain deterioration.
Limiting the sessions where players will head the ball is very prudent. If all heading is outlawed for all training sessions and matches at junior level, a weekly practice involving some heading drills to build skills for the future should be entirely safe.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Hardly ever hence why I think it's a good idea to get it banned for kids under 11.

Most kids at that age can't even lift the ball (kicking). What's the point in teaching them headers?

That isn't true. From U9's and certainly in U10's you start getting kids taking excellent corners and being able to ping passes about. Doesn't mean team mates are heading it, but you're really mistake if you think U11's and slightly below are struggling to lift a ball.

 

[Megazone]

double post.

 

[Megazone]

That isn't true. From U9's and certainly in U10's you start getting kids taking excellent corners and being able to ping passes about. Doesn't mean team mates are heading it, but you're really mistake if you think U11's and slightly below are struggling to lift a ball.

You must be coaching at some sort of centre of excellence as the lot I've coached couldn't lift the ball for toffee. There was one kid who could get height on the ball and yes he took all the corners and goal kicks.

But most 10/11 year olds haven't developed to hit a ball sweetly enough to be able to 'ping' the ball about. Hitting the ball sweetly comes with timing and maturity.

 

[BigGully]

Short corners and goal kicks will encourage better footballing skills.

Keeping the ball on the deck is what kids should be taught anyway.

Kids will think to pass rather than hoof.

Kids will learn to try and control difficult high balls instead of just jumping at it with their eyes shut.

This isnt a coaching directive, so its not about some prioritised coaching development programme, they are not qualified to do so,it is an unwarranted infraction on the dynamics of the game of football which does not stand up to scrutiny.

 

[Megazone]

This isnt a coaching directive, so its not about some prioritised coaching development programme, they are not qualified to do so,it is an unwarranted infraction on the dynamics of the game of football which does not stand up to scrutiny.

In Holland, 11 a side football is banned for anyone under 11 years old.

Do you feel the same with them?

 

[BigGully]

That isn't true. From U9's and certainly in U10's you start getting kids taking excellent corners and being able to ping passes about. Doesn't mean team mates are heading it, but you're really mistake if you think U11's and slightly below are struggling to lift a ball.

I am going to have to disagree with you there, very few are physically strong or technically proficient enough to ping passes or take long corners, nor should that necessarily be encouraged at that stage of development.

They will still be playing mini football which is meant to encourage a shorter quicker style of play, whats excellent about a young 9 year old smashing a corner over to players that can then not header the ball ?

 

[BigGully]

In Holland, 11 a side football is banned for anyone under 11 years old.

Do you feel the same with them?

I am talking about the authoritative body that has banned under 11's heading the ball in the USA, you seemed to link it to a coaching perspective.

It wasnt a coaching directive, purely a safety one, in my view an unwarranted one.

I know a bit about Holland, please do not think that every training session at every level offers some highbrow coaching technique it doesnt, but that discussion is for another day.

 

[Megazone]

It wasnt a coaching directive, purely a safety one, in my view an unwarranted one.
.

The same reason 11 a-side football is banned for kids under the age of 11 in Holland.

 

[GT49er]

That isn't true. From U9's and certainly in U10's you start getting kids taking excellent corners and being able to ping passes about. Doesn't mean team mates are heading it, but you're really mistake if you think U11's and slightly below are struggling to lift a ball.

Even with the old leather balls, on a wet day, if it was bouncing and you got your foot under it, you could lift it no bother. Lifting it from a dead ball situation was rather harder.

 

[Stat Brother]

I am going to have to disagree with you there, very few are physically strong or technically proficient enough to ping passes or take long corners, nor should that necessarily be encouraged at that stage of development.

They will still be playing mini football which is meant to encourage a shorter quicker style of play, whats excellent about a young 9 year old smashing a corner over to players that can then not header the ball ?

Can I ask on what experience you are basing this on?

Jnr Stat is 11 in a couple of weeks.
His team are pretty poor, they are a bunch of big girls blouses who can't tackle, can't be tackled, but they can kick the ball.

There's a couple of exceptions proving the rule in his team (jnr stat isn't one of them)

Of the teams they have played, this season, that would appear to be reversed.
Sure every team has a few of Jimmy Sommerville's but there's as many Jimmy Case's out there.
They can play properly, kick a ball, take a far post corner, and header the ball.

They played a team in Worthing a couple of weeks ago and it was 'men against boys'.
That team had at least 3 players at a skill level considerably higher than any of the 50+ lads I've seen play this season.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I am going to have to disagree with you there, very few are physically strong or technically proficient enough to ping passes or take long corners, nor should that necessarily be encouraged at that stage of development.

They will still be playing mini football which is meant to encourage a shorter quicker style of play, whats excellent about a young 9 year old smashing a corner over to players that can then not header the ball ?

Bloodyhell, I wasn't saying it should be encouraged, I just said they are physically capable of it.

I manage an U10 team, have been since they were U6's, and now taking on a new U6 team as well - I know what mini soccer is, I'm really wondering if some of the experts on here do.

 

[Stat Brother]

Bloodyhell, I wasn't saying it should be encouraged, I just said they are physically capable of it.

I manage an U10 team, have been since they were U6's, and now taking on a new U6 team as well - I know what mini soccer is, I'm really wondering if some of the experts on here do.

Oh hang on are you just another dad who thinking he's Alex Ferguson.

I bet you don't have a single qualification to back that up.
People in glass house etc

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

Oh hang on are you just another dad who thinking he's Alex Ferguson.

I bet you don't have a single qualification to back that up.
People in glass house etc

Credit to Bold Seagull for taking that on. Without people stepping forward and running these teams - it doesn't happen.

Why make it personal. We can disagree on stuff.

 

[portslade seagull]

They can take a gun on the pitch because it is there right but can't head a ball. Typical American's. Now waiting to see loads of lawsuits

 

[BigGully]

Can I ask on what experience you are basing this on?

Jnr Stat is 11 in a couple of weeks.
His team are pretty poor, they are a bunch of big girls blouses who can't tackle, can't be tackled, but they can kick the ball.

There's a couple of exceptions proving the rule in his team (jnr stat isn't one of them)

Of the teams they have played, this season, that would appear to be reversed.
Sure every team has a few of Jimmy Sommerville's but there's as many Jimmy Case's out there.
They can play properly, kick a ball, take a far post corner, and header the ball.

They played a team in Worthing a couple of weeks ago and it was 'men against boys'.
That team had at least 3 players at a skill level considerably higher than any of the 50+ lads I've seen play this season.

Well I was basing it from under 9's upwards, so if there are players in the under 11's that do and therefore are encouraged to whack the ball all over the place then I must accept thats what happens.

It was in reply to heading, which again from under 9's upwards seem to only rarely head the ball, as they get older it becomes a game prerogative to have to at least have an idea of the technique and the relevance to head the ball, as they get older and play on bigger pitches with corners, crossing, goalkicks etc. it becomes an essential part of any competent players skill set.

I am not sure if I have answered your query, I didnt fully understand the question TBH

 

[BigGully]

Bloodyhell, I wasn't saying it should be encouraged, I just said they are physically capable of it.

I manage an U10 team, have been since they were U6's, and now taking on a new U6 team as well - I know what mini soccer is, I'm really wondering if some of the experts on here do.

In respect to the heading conundrum you stated that players can take 'excellent' corners, which seemed to imply they were long corners, long corners tend to encourage or expect heading, the outcome of an excellent corner must be a positive end result.

My point was that heading and long corners can at times be perfectly legitimate part of anyones play, but for me less so in the younger age groups, firstly a player is less likey to be able to kick it with any consistency into the goal area and as we have discussed even when they do then its unlikely to be headed by a player in the younger age groups, it might cause an element of chaos which might then lead to a goal, but thats more about unintended consequences rather than a viable player development plan, thats all.

But if at the older age groups under 11's upwards you have players whipping in a corner or crosses and an old school centre forward attacking the cross and powering in a header then great, but then that kinda legitimises the discussion about possible brain injury and the prevention of it.

 

[Stat Brother]

Credit to Bold Seagull for taking that on. Without people stepping forward and running these teams - it doesn't happen.

Why make it personal. We can disagree on stuff.

I wasn't being personal I was being playful with my good friend, and FA qualified coach, Bold.