[Football] Football without heading the ball

[Han Solo]

Heading is banned in youth football (younger years) from next season.

New heading rules for U7-U11 youth football

New rule introduced to phase out heading in youth football over next three seasons

www.thefa.com

Which is good. When they're 18 they can be expected to take their own decisions if they're willing to take risks that comes with being a professional footballer.
Not changing much for us on the youth side. Can't see us wasting time practicing the simple skill of headers during the years when you desperately need to develop players motorical and technical skills.

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

I did get that far, but there is nothing in the article that proves or disproves that point, so it’s incorrect to state that heading modern balls will cause the injuries suffered by her husband.

As I said, what’s required is education. But outright bans will be hard to enforce. Unless you change the rules of the game that is. And good luck with that. That could result in two codes emerging.

That'll be an interesting decision for players choosing which code to play.

"Would you like to play football, or play football with a significantly increased chance of brain damage?"

Oh it's tricky isn't it?

In any case, as a couple of people already posted above, the speed (and firmness for that matter) of the ball is at least as influential as the weight in how much force is applied to somebody's head. If the ball could cause that sort of damage then, there's no reason to think that it can't now.

 

[Hamilton]

That'll be an interesting decision for players choosing which code to play.

"Would you like to play football, or play football with a significantly increased chance of brain damage?"

Oh it's tricky isn't it?

In any case, as a couple of people already posted above, the speed (and firmness for that matter) of the ball is at least as influential as the weight in how much force is applied to somebody's head. If the ball could cause that sort of damage then, there's no reason to think that it can't now.

Which is why they don’t ban boxing. They know it would go underground.

People play games that involve physicality. And for every player who suffers brain damage related illness later in life, there are others that do not.

The risk can be reduced, but it does not require bans. As with many things, there will be a third way between banning it and keeping it.

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

Which is why they don’t ban boxing. They know it would go underground.

People play games that involve physicality. And for every player who suffers brain damage related illness later in life, there are others that do not.

The risk can be reduced, but it does not require bans. As with many things, there will be a third way between banning it and keeping it.

The difference with boxing, is that football is completely playable without the need to head the ball. Different, but still the same sport and fun and entertaining.

I don't particularly want to see it banned, but I don't see the argument that we couldn't do that because it would mean we have to ban everything else as well. It's like saying that we need to ban rugby just because cricket introduced restrictions on the number of bouncers.

I'd guess we'll end up with players never training to head the ball and as a result it becoming less common in the game, but not actually banned.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Which is good. When they're 18 they can be expected to take their own decisions if they're willing to take risks that comes with being a professional footballer.
Not changing much for us on the youth side. Can't see us wasting time practicing the simple skill of headers during the years when you desperately need to develop players motorical and technical skills.

Completely agree. At these age groups you’re talking 5v5, 7v7, then first season of 9v9. On the smaller 5v5, 7v7 pitches they rarely need to head it anyway, and to be fair most are reluctant to do so.

Much better they learn to be footballers, heading can come much later.