Has it ever occurred to you that head can be very effectively used in passing on the ball when it is still in the air? Doing this skill in youth soccer drills is particularly safe when it is carried out with care and caution.
In case your players have not performed this skill of heading before, start teaching them by using a deflated ball. It requires you to shrink the ball’s size by letting some air out of it, thus making it supple. In kids soccer drills, I’ll be happy to tell you the fundamental rules of heading before getting down to the major points.
When the ball is still in the air, the players should move along the ball for the reason that their body should directly in front of the ball when they face it. Teach the players to continue watching the ball all the way through and until that time when it strikes their forehead.
Your players must recognize the importance of continuously looking at the ball whether it coming to them to going away from them. They can be seriously hurt of they don’t keep their eyes open. Teach them in youth soccer practice to use the top-front part of their forehead to strike the ball and not with the temples or top of the head.
Most of the youth soccer drills highlight the movement required to head the ball properly. Following are the two drills that have been explained for you:
Sitting and Knees: This drill in youth soccer coaching requires 2 players and a ball. One player should ssit on the ground and have their legs stretched out in the front. The second player should stand right in front of the second guy and pass the ball very low towards the other player. The concept is that the ball will be thrown short so that the person towards whom it travels has to come forward to hit it.
Repeat this activity with one player positioned with both knees on the ground. Now, the player will have to move forward to actually shoot the ball. This drill is useful in teaching the players to use their head in guiding the ball.
Head out of Hands: In this drill, one requires cones and a ball for each player. The players need to hold the ball with their hands and then knock it off by heading it. They should learn the art of moving their head to the ball and vice-versa.
Use of cones can help in teaching them the skill of heading to a specific location. The players learn the techniques to head the ball accurately and using their head.
So there you have it; youth soccer drills to develop the skill of heading amongst the players and enable them to compete in the game without the fear of getting hurt. There is a wealth of information and resources on youth soccer available in our youth soccer coaching community and you too can take advantage of it by registering for it.
Andre Botelho is the author of “The Expert Youth Soccer Coaching Guide” and he’s a recognized expert in the subject of youth soccer coaching. Learn how to explode your players’ skills and make coaching sessions fun in less than 29 days! Download your free pdf guide at: Soccer Practice.
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