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.
Before you begin with training the players in the skill of heading, deflate the ball a bit especially when they are doing it the first time. Let some air out of the ball so that it becomes soft and easy to handle. Including heading skill in the kids soccer drills requires you to first teach them the basics of this skill before starting with the practice.
When the ball is in air, teach the players to move along with it so that their body is directly in front of it when they face the ball. 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. It they don’t know which way the ball is going or coming from, they risk getting hurt. 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: Performing this drill in youth soccer coaching requires two players and one ball. One player needs to sit on the ground with the legs stretched out in the front. The other player should stand directly in front of the 1st and throw the ball at a very low level towards him or her. The idea is to throw the ball short so that the one heading it has to move forward to strike the ball.
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 teaches the technique of using the head to direct 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 be instructed to move their head to the ball and then the ball to their head.
Use of cones can help in teaching them the skill of heading to a specific location. The players learn proper handling techniques and accuracy for using the head to redirect the ball.
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. Our youth soccer coaching community has tons of valuable information on youth soccer and you can take advantage of it by enrolling 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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