Children banned from heading footballs during training

[RHB]

Here's the article, what do you think? I reckon that football mad boys (and girls probably) will find a way around this ban, especially outside of school. I know I would have done at that age.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-51614088

 

[MK Shrimper]

I always avoided heading the ball anyway!

If kids playing in the park want to do it, then you can't stop them but it's sensible in organised games as the brain is still growing at that age.

 

[RHB]

I always avoided heading the ball anyway!

If kids playing in the park want to do it, then you can't stop them but it's sensible in organised games as the brain is still growing at that age.

Yeah, I get that, but the ban is currently only to be applied in training not in organised games. As A kid I used to spend ages heading a ball against a wall determined to keep my eyes open and on the ball. It paid dividends in later life as watching the ball coming in gives you a definite edge in the air. Mind you my head wobbles more than a bit these days.

 

[Member]

seems sensible to me and good to see some public health research having an impact on our responsibilities to children.

I'll be honest though, my son is at primary school and is pre-academy at a PL club and he hasn't been told to head the ball ever in training or in a game. Any headers are accidental or a way to bring the ball down. I think most decent coaches and clubs realise that there isn't much benefit in kids having to do lots of headers in training or in matches, and so they're already being pretty sensible.

 

[Ex-Member1]

Will that mean half our team will be affected by the ban?

 

[rigsby]

Here's the article, what do you think? I reckon that football mad boys (and girls probably) will find a way around this ban, especially outside of school. I know I would have done at that age.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-51614088

No wonder they are worried about brain damage if they head it like these to lads in the picture.

As for the long term stats compared with other people. Is it because they headed a ball hundreds of time or because they are footballers.......Is there actually anything where footballers aren't worse than the general society?

 

[tottenham541]

What a load of rubbish, it’s like banning the contact in rugby.

 

[londonblue]

What a load of rubbish, it’s like banning the contact in rugby.

For kids contact is banned in rugby.

 

[Ricky Otto]

It's a bit of a non story really, have you watched kids football? They very rarely head the ball and heading is allowed in matches just not training. There are a lot of nanny state type things that are ridiculous but I'm not sure this is one of them.

 

[blues exile]

55 years ago when leather balls with those horrible laces were the thing, playing for the bank's euphemistically named 7cs, in other words the tenth team, on a waterlogged mud patch, could have done with the ban then. After twenty minutes, the ball was as heavy as a medicine ball and concussion was almost guaranteed if you got your head anywhere near it.

 

[OldBlueLady]

For kids contact is banned in rugby.

Tag rugby was always hugely enjoyed by the kids at school when I was working there.

 

[Massimo Giovanni]

The FA is aiming this at the legions of youngsters who are at club academies, and with them it is a level playing field when they all have directives as to how training must be conducted.
Schools and local league club training may not follow the guidelines however if the coaches are, correctly, accredited, as they should be, then they will.
The headline may be over hyped but the good sense of it is plain, basic and simple.

 

[davewebbsbrain]

What will they do if a child heads the ball, give them detention?

 

[tottenham541]

What will they do if a child heads the ball, give them detention?

Sin bin

 

[kaymac]

Always used to practice throw-ins and corners with the kids at training. Presume they'll now be expected to duck out of the way when the ball is in the air..... or stop and stare at it ?

 

[MK Shrimper]

Always used to practice throw-ins and corners with the kids at training. Presume they'll now be expected to duck out of the way when the ball is in the air..... or stop and stare at it ?

Bicycle kicks natch.