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? This does not hurt the player in any way if is it practiced correctly in the youth soccer drills.
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. This can be done by letting some air out of the ball so that it shrinks and becomes soft and supple for kids to play. When it comes to kids soccer drills, like always, begin with the basics of heading, some of which I’ll be happy to share with you.
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. The players must keep their eyes fixed the ball all the way through, till the time it comes into contact with 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. They can be seriously hurt of they don’t keep their eyes open. In youth soccer practice, teach players to strike the ball with the forehead’s top-front part instead of the crown or temples.
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 should sit on the ground with the legs spread 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 objective behind this is that because the ball is thrown short, the person will have to come forward to hit it.
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 is useful in teaching the players to use their head in guiding the ball.
Head out of Hands: You will need cones and a ball for each player in this drill. This drill requires the players to hold the ball with their hands and the throw it off by heading it. They should learn the art of moving their head to the ball and vice-versa.
When the cones are used, the kids learn to head the ball to a particular location. The players learn the techniques to head the ball in a direction using their head.
So this is it; using these youth soccer drills, your players will get confident in heading the ball and competing without 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.
Tags: kids soccer drills, youth soccer coaching, youth soccer drills, youth soccer practice