FAQ's-Headball-Soccer Training Tools

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The staff at Headball will post answers to customer questions and concerns.

Q-What drills do you recommend to teach our players?

A-Visit our drills page for several basic heading drills.

Most injuries involving the head in soccer are caused by head contact with other objects and not by the impact of the soccer ball. This contact can be:

player to player
player to ground
player to goalpost
player to ball
player to equipment

Read the Journal of American Medicine Reports and learn about the hazards of heading a soccer ball.

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Q-How can we prevent serious head injuries in soccer?
A-Here are some recommendations:

1. Never head a ball below your waist unless no one is within several feet of you.

2. Avoid going up for a headball in crowds or when approaching other players, the goal post or a crowded sideline.

3. Don't practice heading for extended periods of time. Allot only a small amount of each practice for headball drills.

4. Never practice heading when the ball is wet as this will add an additional amount of weight to most soccer balls.

5. Practice with a softer ball such as a Headball, foam or other substitute ball.

6. Never practice headballs if you have any contusions on your head, if your neck is hurting or if you suffer from headaches or dizziness.

7. Educate and practice proper techniques with your players.

Q-At what age should children begin to learn to head a soccer ball?

A-You will hear and read several different points of view on this question. Our view is the error on the side of caution. AYSO does not recommend heading below the age of ten. Coaches are not encouraged to teach or practice heading at these early ages. Recent research that links heading a soccer ball with brain injury has been a major head-ache for officials at the U.S. Soccer Federation. Dr. David H. Janda, an orthopedic surgeon and spokesman for the group's youth division defended heading as a safe skill and called the researchers' conclusions "pure alarmism."

"Some coaches overdo heading drills and teach the technique to children who are too young (under 9) to do it safely."Dr. Janda says some coaches overdo heading drills and teach the technique to children who are too young (under 9) to do it safely. Kids should also use lighter-weight and smaller balls, says Dr. Janda. For general purposes, U.S. Youth Soccer recommends a No. 3 ball for kids under age 8 and a No. 4 ball for ages 8 to 10 (the higher the number, the bigger and heavier the ball). The No. 5 ball is usually recommended only for kids 11 and older. But some leagues don't follow those guidelines.

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