Heading a Football

[Doon frae Troon]

Good move by the SFA [words I don't use often]
My grandson plays wingback in a quality under 14s league and I must confess to wincing whenever he heads a high ball clear.
The science now seems to prove that persistently heading a football can lead to problems later in life.
Perhaps we are moving towards heading being banned, that should lead to some interesting corner kicks.


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-50199583

 

[Orikoru]

Good move by the SFA [words I don't use often]
My grandson plays wingback in a quality under 14s league and I must confess to wincing whenever he heads a high ball clear.
The science now seems to prove that persistently heading a football can lead to problems later in life.
Perhaps we are moving towards heading being banned, that should lead to some interesting corner kicks.


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-50199583

Is that science based on modern footballs though or on players who spent years heading the old heavy leather kind?

Surely they will never take heading out of the game, that would be insane. That would completely ruin football as we know it.

Perhaps while very young and still developing, kids shouldn't be heading the ball. But then it may come as a shock when they suddenly have to in adult games.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

In junior rugby they don't do full on tackling initially, they also don't do scrums. I can't remember the age they start, it's a few years since my son played. Both for safety and it doesn't hold them back in later years.

All football has to do is not allow heading until a certain age, say 12. Then don't allow goal keepers to kick from hand until say 14. That would reduce the early exposure when technique in particular will be poor, neck muscles weak.

After that, life is a risk, heading is part of the game.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

The research following Jeff Astle's death and the link to his dementia makes stark reading and so it seems common sense to try and protect youngsters for as long as possible. It will never go from the game but youngsters don't have great technical proficiency, especially early on and so need protecting. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50130007

 

[Pin-seeker]

The modern football is like a penny floater,how can that do any damage?

 

[Orikoru]

The modern football is like a penny floater,how can that do any damage?

This is what I mean. Jeff Astle can't be the benchmark since the football was a lot heavier when he played.

 

[Pin-seeker]

This is what I mean. Jeff Astle can't be the benchmark since the football was a lot heavier when he played.

It’s crazy how light they are now.
No wonder they move move so much and take keepers by surprise.

 

[Deleted member 1418]

The modern football is like a penny floater,how can that do any damage?

Was discussing this the other day with a load of other coaches. We put it down to the modern footballs moving a lot faster, so heading a ball moving at pace will still have an effect.

But as mentioned by some others, coaching the proper technique to kids is key. Not sure how many coaches would make heading a priority in a coaching session. I know I haven't in the past.

 

[anotherdouble]

In a game how many times will a player head a ball, and a ball travelling at speed. I would think that damage in the past would be caused by heading in training, hour after hour and week after week

 

[Wolf]

In a game how many times will a player head a ball, and a ball travelling at speed. I would think that damage in the past would be caused by heading in training, hour after hour and week after week

Very good point that, was listening to talk sport breakfast when the article on BBC came out. David Moyes made a really good point that the biggest issue was back when they were playing with the heavier ball even as late as the 80s/90s centre backs would spend hours in heading practice, heading the ball flat out power and that best practice having got the data is to just change the training schedules to minimise risk and bring in regular concussion testing and scans.

 

[williamalex1]

Damage is more likely when it's direct head to head contact.
Sadly my ex wife suffers from dementia and she's never headed a ball in her life, not a joke !
There is a 2018 American Football film that highlights the dangers of head injuries while playing.
I can't recall the film name ATM, and I've never played much football at all, i don't think.

 

[fundy]

not saying its wrong but concussion protocols, head injuries etc are the topic du jour of contact sports currently, especially in rugby and cricket

theres obviously some long term risks, whether theyre proportionate to the current action his debatable though, definite need for more in depth research it seems

 

[Wolf]

Damage is more likely when it's direct head to head contact.
Sadly my ex wife suffers from dementia and she's never headed a ball in her life, not a joke !
There is a 2018 American Football film that highlights the dangers of head injuries while playing.
I can't recall the film name ATM, and I've never played much football at all, i don't think.

Are you thinking of the 2015 Will Smith film aptly named concussion, in which he plays Dr Bennett Omalu, good film and based around events that occurred off the back of an autopsy to a former player.

I think it needs a lot more research to see of contributing factors over a broader spectrum of players before they can definitely say its linked. But that aside concussion protocols definitely need looking at across sports to better protect players.

 

[williamalex1]

Are you thinking of the 2015 Will Smith film aptly named concussion, in which he plays Dr Bennett Omalu, good film and based around events that occurred off the back of an autopsy to a former player.

I think it needs a lot more research to see of contributing factors over a broader spectrum of players before they can definitely say its linked. But that aside concussion protocols definitely need looking at across sports to better protect players.

Yes indeed Wolf 2015, i must have lost a few years somewhere, i just Googled it too. Remember all that head banging craze back in the 70s

 

[clubchamp98]

The modern football is like a penny floater,how can that do any damage?

If you get one full in the nuts you may change your mind!
While you could not really get much ball speed with the old ball .
These new ones really move and go in a spiral all over the place.

 

[Swinglowandslow]

If you get one full in the nuts you may change your mind!
While you could not really get much ball speed with the old ball .
These new ones really move and go in a spiral all over the place.

You sure?
Ask any goalkeeper who faced a shot from Bobby Charlton ,Geoff Hurst or Peter Lorimer.😀

 

[Mudball]

As a dad of a U10 who plays in one of the (very) lower league footy, i must confess i am happy with this decision. While new balls may be lighter and forgiving, it does travel much further & faster than old days. On a wet Sunday morning, I dont fancy my son take a header. Luckily our coaches have avoided heading either. We do occassionally come across teams where their 'star player' heads it in and we are all left stranded. The boys also try and copy PL players on telly. However I am happy to lose at this level for their longevity and skill development. The boys learn to play it on the ground and with their foot. Despite this we won the league.
At Rugby they are doing scrums but headgear and mouth guard is coming into play even now. Same in cricket - an umpire wont let a kid face a hard ball without a helmet and guard. I cant see why footy cant do that.

 

[ScienceBoy]

Nowt wrong with gradual introductions of elements of a game.

Studies have shown a child doesn’t need to train sport specific skills until the age of 12 at least.

Just playing sports before that, keeping fit, building confidence and having fun is far more important until teenage years.

 

[GB72]

I am all for the gradual introduction of elements of the game. Let kids have fun kicking it around and develop those skills before bringing in heading at a later stage. Rugby does this well, starts with tag rugby at the youngest age groups then slowly introduces tackling, rucking and scrummaging.

Football does seem to be a way behind in concussion protocols with no prevision for an HIA, temporary sub etc. These are things that they need to be dealing with pretty quickly.

 

[Orikoru]

Very good point that, was listening to talk sport breakfast when the article on BBC came out. David Moyes made a really good point that the biggest issue was back when they were playing with the heavier ball even as late as the 80s/90s centre backs would spend hours in heading practice, heading the ball flat out power and that best practice having got the data is to just change the training schedules to minimise risk and bring in regular concussion testing and scans.

I agree with that. Even in my Sunday League team's training, we might spend fifteen minutes on set pieces during which I've headed it out 4 or 5 times and starting to feel it, whereas in a game I might only have to head it that many times or less over the whole 90. Compare that to a kid's team that actually has proper training and potentially they've headed it even more times. The answer isn't to take heading out of football, but if you can keep heading practise down to a minimum that would help.