By Mike Woitalla
Soccer’s birth date is widely considered to be Dec. 8, 1863, when the English FA published its first set of rules — after a heated debate on whether playersshould be allowed to kick each other as well as the ball.
Those who believed that “kicking out at the opponent, that is the real football,” lost the argument and it was declaredthat, “neither tripping nor hacking shall be allowed.”
There was not, as far as the records show, any concern about using the head — the part of the body that contains the brain– to strike the ball.
But a century and a half later, there is serious concern about heading, because science and technology have revealed so much about the dangers and frequency ofconcussions.
It’s not just a matter of concussions being a byproduct ofthe heading — head-to-head or elbow-to-head clashes — but also the possibility that the accumulation of sub-concussive impacts, e.g., head-to-ball, could be harmful. Children are probably
As we await the results of further studies, U.S. Soccertook sensible action last year by banning heading at under-11 and limiting it at U-12 and U-13.
I’ve already hailed the regulations as beneficial, regardless of the health concerns, becauseI believe booting high balls at young ages is detrimental to long-term player development. Controlling high balls instead of heading them increases the likelihood of a team keeping possession, andputting children into more situations in which they have to settle high balls hones an important skill.
To the detractors of the new heading regulations who claim children need to learn how tohead early on to become good at it, I’ve responded thatintroducing it when their neck muscles are stronger makes it more likely for them to develop good technique.
An incremental introduction to heading — including softer, light-weight balls,neck-strengthening exercises, heading games in a controlled environment — is excellently demonstrated in a new on-line course from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA).
The30-minute “Get aHEAD Safely in Soccer” course is free, whether you’re an NSCAA member or not. It’s anotherdemonstration of how effective online education can be.
Watching a short video clip of children demonstrating an exercise has always been so much easier for me to translate into a successfulpractice on the field than interpreting Xs and Os on a book page.
For however much I have gleaned from attending “clinics,” I somuch appreciate a well-produced web site course, with clear graphics, concise narration, video demonstrations, the ability to rewind and review — then take a short test at the end to ensure onedidn’t miss important information. (Other examples are U.S. Soccer’s F license course and theU.S. Club Soccer coaching registration prerequisite “Coaches Guide to Youth Soccer Injury Recognition).
I’dimagine most youth coaches would agree with me, because with all the time we spend driving to practices and games, on top of our day jobs, to get valuable information via the IPad or computer — is somuch more convenient than making another trip to the field, or a gym or classroom. There’s also the downloadable info to file for easy access before a practice.
I am sometimes wary ofcoaching education, because it can aggrandize the role of the coaches, when their job at the younger ages should be to allow the children to learn from the game and to explore it on their own terms,to simulate the pickup game environment that encourages creativity and improvisation. Nowadays a conversation about youth soccer includes words like “academy” and “curriculum”– and too many children arrive at a soccer field for the first time expecting to play, but have to do “drills.”
But when it comes to heading, coaches must take an active role,which does require education — made wonderfully convenient with the NSCAA’s “Get aHEAD Safely in Soccer.”
Well it would be nice if one did not have to sign in with a username and password etc… Why not post the video on youtube and be done with it? A video of what to avoid and why combined with how. It should not take 30 minutes even if it’s FREE.
Mr. Woitalla, I have a problem with passing off your opinions as fact or statements of others in what appears to be a news article. “It’s not just a matter of concussions being a byproduct of the heading — head-to-head or elbow-to-head clashes — but also the possibility that the accumulation of sub-concussive impacts, e.g., head-to-ball, could be harmful. Children are probably especially susceptible.” Dr. Cantu did not discuss the possibility of sub-concussive injury in that article and he definitely did not say that children are probably especially susceptible either. He said children were more susceptible to concussion.
Mr. Woitalla, I think one of the last things you should be wary of is coaching education – especially at introductory levels like this. The problem is that most coaches get no education at this level, and this is what significantly contributes towards “too many children arrive at a soccer field for the first time expecting to play, but have to do “drills.” It has nothing to do with aggrandizing the role of the coaches, but rather introducing a level of coaching competency in an effective way. I’m sure NSCAA cringed at that wrong-headed idea, just as much as it might have by the “Coach” who is inconvenienced by a login and password and has the idea that if it can’t be done in 5 minutes, don’t bother. You should think through a little less casually, and try again!
Took the course last week. Anybody who coaches, regardless of the age of the players, can take away valuable information and insights.