Heading the ball soccer training drills

Lots of kids don’t enjoy heading the ball – but by using confidence-building training drills, you can help them overcome the fear factor.

Play it safe As always, safety is paramount, so... Start heading training drills when players are aged about eight or nine. Don’t overdo heading sessions with young players – keep them short. Make the distances you’re asking players to head the ball suitable for their age. Don’t introduce opposition to sessions until kids are confident and old enough to cope with physical contact. Try a softer ball to help build confidence. Technique and accuracy first – power can always be added later. Finally, remember: if they’re timid, it’s because they’re scared, so coax them gently.

It’s only natural

A lot of the time a child’s reluctance to head the ball – they often close their eyes and let it drop on the top of their heads
- is to do with fear. After all, it’s only natural to want to keep your head out of the way of an object you think might hurt it.

Gently does it

The simplest way to gain confidence is to gradually introduce players to the feeling of their forehead meeting the ball. Begin
with asking them to balance the ball on their forehead. Then allow them to have a ball each, and just gently throw it up, head it in the air and catch again. Once they’ve tried that several times, ask them to try to head it twice before catching the ball. Then three times and so on.

The next drill would be to throw the ball up to themselves and then head it to a partner standing approximately 5 metres
away, who repeats the exercise.

This soccer training drill is encouraging your players to:

1. Watch the ball.

2. Keep their eyes open.

3. Head the ball with the forehead.

4. Aim for the middle of the ball.

Once they’re comfortable with this training drill, increase the distance to about 10 metres, and this time have the players
throw the ball underarm to each other.

It’s at this stage that, as well as the four points outlined in the training drill above, you should coach your players to:

• Move into line with the flight of the ball.
• Use their neck muscles.

REMEMBER: TEACHING YOUR PLAYERS THE RIGHT TECHNIQUE WILL HELP WITH THEIR CONFIDENCE.