Youth soccer drills
Ever wondered the effectiveness of using the head to readdress the ball while it is still in the air? This does not hurt the player in any way if is it practiced correctly in the youth soccer drills.
In case your players have not performed this skill of heading before, start teaching them by using a deflated ball. For this, let some air out of the ball and make it soft so that players find it easy to play with. Before I get down to the details of kids soccer drills on heading, let me share with you the basics of this skill that players need to be taught first.
Teach the players to move along the ball in such a way that their body comes directly in front of the ball when they get in contact with it. They should keep their eyes on the ball all the way in, and continue watching it as it strikes their forehead.
Let the kids understand the significance of keeping an eye on the ball and watch it coming to them and going away from them. If their eyes are closed, they can be hurt. Players in youth soccer practice should learn to strike the ball by using the top-front portion of their forehead rather than using their temples or top of the head.
Youth Soccer Drills
Almost all youth soccer drills emphasize the movement involved in properly heading the ball. Out of many, here are two drills that your players can perform.
Sitting and Knees: This drill in youth soccer coaching requires 2 players and a ball. One player will sit on the ground with their feet straight out in front of him or her. The second player should stand in front of the 1st one 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.
Keep doing this activity with a player positioned with both knees on the ground. Then the player will have to bend forward to strike the ball. This drill teaches the technique of using the head to direct the ball.
Head out of Hands: To work with this drill, you need to have 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 taught to move their head to the ball and not move the ball to their head.
The cones can help the players learn heading to a particular 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. 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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