No heading a ball in under 12 trial in UK

Chutney said:
Regardless of dementia, no heading (or maybe some limitations) would improve the quality of football being served up no end.
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Not necessarily. It could do the opposite. If over head height is still allowed then it encourages launching balls forward that can't be defended. If over head height isn't allowed then kids will be learning proper football very late.
 
1finny said:
Just announced.
Not sure whether this is a blanket ban.

The objective appears to be around prevention of dementia later in life.
It is either going to be an awfully long trial or I’m missing something.
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Been mooted for a while now. Isn’t it about mastering the techniques in training now using a foam ball? Heading still allowed in games?
 
i thought it was 'no purposely' heading of the ball - accidental is still ok.

would/should create plenty of goals if defenders cant head a ball from a throw in or a corner - means the ball has the % call to bounce in the box - that should means goals and a few sliced own goals.

my own view at this stage is that it has started to trial at far too low down the age group - i would like to have seen it brought in at all games for U17s & below age groups and in the 20 regional leagues (step 10 of the football pyramid) regardless of age.
 
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There's very little heading of the ball at that age anyway. Most of them are terrified of heading it!! Always encourage my team to take short corners and try and work a shot. 9 times out of 10 corners hit into the box end up going out for a throw on the other side! As for goal kicks most teams I come across don't go long at that age. Most try to play football out from the back. Can't see what this trial will show. As said above far more useful to trial it higher up the age groups
 
Johnny Vincents Motorbike said:
i thought it was 'no purposely' heading of the ball - accidental is still ok.
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Ah, that's ok. The rule works so well for handball.

I'd miss heading if it were taken out of the game, though I'd understand the reasons.
Not only could it make everything pre-ban incomparable to everything post-ban, but I still think swashbuckling wing-play with a centre forward attacking crosses is still the most attractive style of play.
 
MickaelDebevePhenomenal said:
my son is u12 season coming up and my other son u10 - you can count on one hand the amount of headers in a game so it won't really affect much at that age group.
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agreed, I've taught from U5 to U18 and I'd say before U15 there are very very few headers per game.

I'd hope modern balls have made a big difference, the players that have had issues in recent years largely were heading in the 60s and 70s with balls that were 4 times heavier in the rain. Modern balls don't do that and should be far less harmful but we don't know until we have some data.
 
BoroMart said:
agreed, I've taught from U5 to U18 and I'd say before U15 there are very very few headers per game.

I'd hope modern balls have made a big difference, the players that have had issues in recent years largely were heading in the 60s and 70s with balls that were 4 times heavier in the rain. Modern balls don't do that and should be far less harmful but we don't know until we have some data.
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Be interested to see the stats for numbers of headers per game in the modern era compared to 30-40 years ago. Sure there must be a lot less long balls for defenders/forwards to head so hopefully that along with the lighter balls would have an impact
 
One of my colleagues is coaching up to that age group and they've been told not to teach them heading, but it's not against the rules for them to head it during games.
 
Unravel_Morrison said:
One of my colleagues is coaching up to that age group and they've been told not to teach them heading, but it's not against the rules for them to head it during games.
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The no coaching headers thing has been going on a few years, but I didn't really get that as then the rare occasion kids were heading the ball, they didn't have the correct technique and we often using the top of their heads, which i would have thought could be more harmful. The banning of headers outright makes much more sense.
 
MickaelDebevePhenomenal said:
The no coaching headers thing has been going on a few years, but I didn't really get that as then the rare occasion kids were heading the ball, they didn't have the correct technique and we often using the top of their heads, which i would have thought could be more harmful. The banning of headers outright makes much more sense.
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How do you create good technique without repition?

Banning heading, and this is not ban can only creater poor technique within the trial U12 leagues that are affected.
 
Pembroke said:
How do you create good technique without repition?

Banning heading, and this is not ban can only creater poor technique within the trial U12 leagues that are affected.
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There's plenty of time for kids to learn heading after the age of 12. Before that they should probably be concentrating on learning proper foot skills (which are more important overall anyway).

I coached youth football for about 20 years and I would agree with those who have pointed out above, that there's usually not much heading in u-12 football (and below) anyway.

There's also the scientific fact that children's brains lack the full myelination that adult brains have, making them more susceptible to developing long-term adverse effects from impacts to the head.

Why are kids at greater risk for concussion?

Children’s brains do not have the amount of coating, or myelination, as adult brains. Additionally, nerve fibers in children allow more acceleration of the brain with a big hit, and because the brain is lighter than an adult brain, it can move more easily. This lack of myelin and ability of the brain to move more easily with a head hit leads to it being easier for nerve cells to be torn when injured.
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anth25 said:
Be interested to see the stats for numbers of headers per game in the modern era compared to 30-40 years ago. Sure there must be a lot less long balls for defenders/forwards to head so hopefully that along with the lighter balls would have an impact
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Just like to point out that it's a bit of a myth that modern footballs are lighter than the old ones.

The main difference (as @BoroMart mentioned) is the old leather balls used to get heavier in wet conditions.

In terms of starting weight, footballs today are actually slightly heavier than they once were.

The only change there has ever been to the weight of a football since it was first specified in the laws (in 1889) was in fact an increase in the allowable weight in 1937. Since then the law has remained unchanged.

An Enduring Football Myth: The Weight of the Ball
 
Liamo said:
There's plenty of time for kids to learn heading after the age of 12. Before that they should probably be concentrating on learning proper foot skills (which are more important overall anyway).

I coached youth football for about 20 years and I would agree with those who have pointed out above, that there's usually not much heading in u-12 football (and below) anyway.

There's also the scientific fact that children's brains lack the full myelination that adult brains have, making them more susceptible to developing long-term adverse effects from impacts to the head.

Why are kids at greater risk for concussion?
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The question was how do you create technique without repitition? We as humans don't. Heading as part of practice has been limited in theory by the FA. Inadvertenly poorer technique can lead to greater impact on the brain.

Myellination doesnt effect blows to the head. Myellination sheaths axons and creates memory. Childrens brains take longer to recover from blows and concussion, hence there are age related guidelines for concussion. The heading trial at U12 to degree follows the age relation.
 
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