SFA expected to ban children from heading footballs during training

[redjambo]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-51129653

 

Ban for under-12's heading footballs expected within a few weeks. Already in place in the US, but we would be the first European country to implement such a ban.

[John Findlay]

I dont agree with this.

[...a bit disco]

Under 12s learning to play with the ball at their feet, as opposed to the shambolic head tennis displays we see in practically every top flight match at some point?

[Masonic]

2 minutes ago, John Findlay said:

I dont agree with this.

 

theres a way to do it and thats not it imo they should have specified exemption such as foam balls indoors would be ok or perhaps flyaways outdoors as well maybe a manufacturer can get hold of a patent and make something new a blanket ban is just a joke

[OmiyaHearts]

There's risk involved with everything we do in life.

 

Seems mental that heading a football could be banned, yet awful sports like boxing & mma would still allowed.

[John Findlay]

2 minutes ago, ...a bit disco said:

Under 12s learning to play with the ball at their feet, as opposed to the shambolic head tennis displays we see in practically every top flight match at some point?

There is not alot of heading in u12s football now. My youngest is u12 with Spartans now and I could count on the one hand our less the number of headers that occur in his games. Further down the line tackling will get banned at u12 level as someone suffered a broken ankle or leg. 

[Mikey1874]

Its pretty limited. Under 12s in training NOT games.

 

And they can use something lighter instead. 

 

But widely welcomed. 

[Mikey1874]

1 minute ago, John Findlay said:

There is not alot of heading in u12s football now. My youngest is u12 with Spartans now and I could count on the one hand our less the number of headers that occur in his games. Further down the line tackling will get banned at u12 level as someone suffered a broken ankle or leg. 

 

Heading in games is NOT being banned. 

[Jammy T]

I don’t agree with it from a principle/nanny state point of view

 

However, from a footballing perspective, having kids play focussed with the ball on the deck from an early age will or should have a huge footballing benefit to Scottish players.

[redjambo]

2 minutes ago, Masonic said:

 

theres a way to do it and thats not it imo they should have specified exemption such as foam balls indoors would be ok or perhaps flyaways outdoors as well maybe a manufacturer can get hold of a patent and make something new a blanket ban is just a joke

 

The exact wording of the ban hasn't been released yet so who knows which exemptions or conditions will be incorporated. On re-reading the article though, I see that this ban will be implemented during training, so is an attempt to reduce the overall impact on children's heads without banning it altogether. I assume that therefore they will still be able to head the ball during games themselves.

[Brighton Jambo]

I don’t see why anyone can have a problem with this given it seems to only impact training:

 

1.  Under 12’s should be concentrating on plenty of other skills rather than heading.  
2.  Every chance this helps develop more technically capable ball playing youngsters

3.  There is plenty of evidence that heading the ball repetitively causes long term damage so why not protect youngsters while they are physically developing.

4.  It’s only under 12’s so doesn’t change football at all.  For the poster talking about boxing and MMA I’m not sure there are many under 12’s who do that and those that do will be wearing every protective garment going.  

Edited January 16 by Brighton Jambo

[Masonic]

Just now, redjambo said:

 

The exact wording of the ban hasn't been released yet so who knows which exemptions or conditions will be incorporated. On re-reading the article though, I see that this ban will be implemented during training, so is an attempt to reduce the overall impact on children's heads without banning it altogether. I assume that therefore they will still be able to head the ball during games themselves.

interesting from what i seen on other forums and heard on the radio it appeaed to be a blanket ban

[Mikey1874]

Just now, Masonic said:

interesting from what i seen on other forums and heard on the radio it appeaed to be a blanket ban

 

Headlines are often misleading 

[The Real Maroonblood]

18 minutes ago, redjambo said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-51129653

 

Ban for under-12's heading footballs expected within a few weeks. Already in place in the US, but we would be the first European country to implement such a ban.

Banned in the USA is laughable.

Here son/daughter try this gun.

[redjambo]

2 minutes ago, Mikey1874 said:

 

Heading in games is NOT being banned. 

 

Yes, my apologies for not specifying this in my opening post (which I can't now edit).

 

The ban is expected to be implemented during training only.

 

[AGoodLaugh]

Interested to see how they're going to police it if the ban only applies to training. What if a kid continues to header the ball of his own volition? Does the coach somehow get disciplined if they don't step in? I'm not sure how much of an effect this is going to have. 

[...a bit disco]

11 minutes ago, John Findlay said:

There is not alot of heading in u12s football now. My youngest is u12 with Spartans now and I could count on the one hand our less the number of headers that occur in his games. Further down the line tackling will get banned at u12 level as someone suffered a broken ankle or leg. 

There's times I watch referees at Tynie and some of the fouls given against us make me think it's a non-contact sport already!

[Mikey1874]

18 minutes ago, redjambo said:

 

Yes, my apologies for not specifying this in my opening post (which I can't now edit).

 

The ban is expected to be implemented during training only.

 

 

It might be extended to games.

 

But the issue is that heading in games is a lot less than in training. 

[John Findlay]

Just now, Mikey1874 said:

 

Heading in games is NOT being banned. 

If you ban in training, then there wont be many if any headers in games. As I said above. Headers are few and far between in u12s games now.

[Hearts007]

Should have banned it when i was a kid.heading those brick hard orange mitre balls jeez..no one could barely kick the things

[Mikey1874]

2 minutes ago, John Findlay said:

If you ban in training, then there wont be many if any headers in games. As I said above. Headers are few and far between in u12s games now.

 

People at clubs are talking about using alternatives - lighter balls but depends on what the rule allows. 

[John Findlay]

Just now, Mikey1874 said:

 

People at clubs are talking about using alternatives - lighter balls but depends on what the rule allows. 

I know as I said my youngest son is a 2008 at the Spartans academy. He is a goalkeeper, I would debate he has a higher chance than most of being injured due to the nature of the position he plays.

[Smith's right boot]

Might actually help players develope as well. 

 

Makes sense from a development point of view if anything. 

[Smith's right boot]

32 minutes ago, AGoodLaugh said:

Interested to see how they're going to police it if the ban only applies to training. What if a kid continues to header the ball of his own volition? Does the coach somehow get disciplined if they don't step in? I'm not sure how much of an effect this is going to have. 

 

 

Surley he'd be told no, then removed if he continued. 

 

Be the same with any muss behaviour of children at any club. 

 

Warned, tell the parents, continue, he gets removed. 

Why it would go that far tho is beyond me. 

[Martin_T]

Neurodegenerative disease is not fun. Anything that minimises the risk for future generations should be welcomed. 

[Footballfirst]

I was speaking to a former Hearts U11/U12 coach about this a couple of months ago. He said that they never practiced heading during training while he was at Riccarton. 

[Mikey1874]

4 minutes ago, Martin_T said:

Neurodegenerative disease is not fun. Anything that minimises the risk for future generations should be welcomed. 

 

Its interesting as to whether all the guys like Billy McNeill actually did the main damage when they were children. 

 

But they need to do more research. 

[Pans Jambo]

59 minutes ago, Mikey1874 said:

Its pretty limited. Under 12s in training NOT games.

 

And they can use something lighter instead. 

 

But widely welcomed. 

I agree with this decision.

And as noted above, more effort training the kids how to play with the ball at their feet.

Might also teach them how to properly chest a ball or trap a ball instead of the first touch is that bad the second touch is a header that we often see in "professional" players.

 

Nobody can think its a bad idea to protect kids under 12 surely?

[4marsbars]

1 hour ago, OmiyaHearts said:

There's risk involved with everything we do in life.

 

Seems mental that heading a football could be banned, yet awful sports like boxing & mma would still allowed.

 

Good point, but this is an initiative about football taken by football people, who don't have a remit to change boxing.

 

The evidence of a link with dementia is mounting. Although it is hard to imagine football without headers, we need to find out more about this, and we need to protect children. It's one thing for an adult to take a calculated risk, quite another thing when it comes to children.

 

 

 

[Dallas Green]

1 hour ago, Martin_T said:

Neurodegenerative disease is not fun. Anything that minimises the risk for future generations should be welcomed. 

 

[Ron Burgundy]

1 hour ago, Footballfirst said:

I was speaking to a former Hearts U11/U12 coach about this a couple of months ago. He said that they never practiced heading during training while he was at Riccarton. 

Never seen heading practiced at any boy's club my son has played at.

[tian447]

While the brain doesn't stop developing until you're in your mid-20's, needlessly causing small injuries to it at a young age is a really bad idea.  There is no point in getting under 12's to stand and have footballs blootered at their faces in training.  Fair enough going for a header in a match, but there is a difference between a few headers in 90 minutes as opposed to doing it every day in training.  Maybe it should even be adopted up to U-15's level.

 

It might also finally pull Scottish football out of the "GERRIT UP RA PARK" attitude that we seem to have.  Play the ball on the ground, working on good passing and movement, and be comfortable with the ball at your feet.  It will take nearly a decade for these players to filter into the men's game, but I'm willing to bet that young players will benefit from this massively, and that the standard of young players coming through will be much higher in future years.

 

Some people will see this as pandering, and "snowflake special treatment", but I guess those people don't have much to worry about on the whole brain issue themselves.

Edited January 16 by tian447

[Pasquale for King]

4 minutes ago, tian447 said:

While the brain doesn't stop developing until you're in your mid-20's, needlessly causing small injuries to it at a young age is a really bad idea.  There is no point in getting under 12's to stand and have footballs blootered at their faces in training.  Fair enough going for a header in a match, but there is a difference between a few headers in 90 minutes as opposed to doing it every day in training.  Maybe it should even be adopted up to U-15's level.

 

It might also finally pull Scottish football out of the "GERRIT UP RA PARK" attitude that we seem to have.  Play the ball on the ground, working on good passing and movement, and be comfortable with the ball at your feet.  It will take nearly a decade for these players to filter into the men's game, but I'm willing to bet that young players will benefit from this massively, and that the standard of young players coming through will be much higher in future years.

 

Some people will see this as pandering, and "snowflake special treatment", but I guess those people don't have much to worry about on the whole brain issue themselves.

Great post.

[westbow]

1 hour ago, Pans Jambo said:

I agree with this decision.

And as noted above, more effort training the kids how to play with the ball at their feet.

Might also teach them how to properly chest a ball or trap a ball instead of the first touch is that bad the second touch is a header that we often see in "professional" players.

 

Nobody can think its a bad idea to protect kids under 12 surely?

You'd think.

Although, they couldn't prove a direct link apart from goalies have half the risk of neurodegenerative disease of outfield players. Jim Duffy on Radio 2 talking about it now.

Edited January 16 by westbow
typo

[tian447]

8 minutes ago, westbow said:

You'd think.

Although, they couldn't prove a direct link apart from goalies have half the risk of neurodegenerative disease of outfield players. Jim Duffy on Radio 2 talking about it now.

 

The only issue is that studies have only fairly recently been looking into it, there isn't much historical data regarding the longer term damage of repetitive brain injuries.  Concussions and other head injuries were always looked at as "ach, he'll run it off", even as recently as the 2014 World Cup:
 

 

As more money goes into research, a clearer link might become apparent. 

[jr ewing]

Football is more popular with parents in the States because they banned heading. American football have tried to cover up the link between concussion and Alzheimer's. 

[redjambo]

Some more info on the US model.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51137819

Edited January 16 by redjambo

[Big Slim Stylee]

4 hours ago, John Findlay said:

I dont agree with this.

 

I do. It's about time.

 

[Cruyff]

I think it's the right decision but I would be strongly against it if it included during games. 

 

 

[Pasquale for King]

Good news. Its not a hard skill to master at a later age, a dying art in all honesty.

[Redhelen]

Surely you should not head the ball at all under 12. If you're not doing it supervised in training surely just heading in a match situation is more dangerous as you could be doing the wrong technique? 

[andi17]

2 hours ago, Hearts007 said:

Should have banned it when i was a kid.heading those brick hard orange mitre balls jeez..no one could barely kick the things

Great fun having an orange mouldmaster scudding you on the thigh on a cold frosty morning playing at Meggetland about 45 years ago still got the mark as for heading they things wow stars and wee burds fling round your heed lol

[kingantti1874]

Jeez. New lightweight balls aren’t an issue.. 

[Hearts007]

1 hour ago, andi17 said:

Great fun having an orange mouldmaster scudding you on the thigh on a cold frosty morning playing at Meggetland about 45 years ago still got the mark as for heading they things wow stars and wee burds fling round your heed lol

🙂

[Cynic]

On 16/01/2020 at 12:04, Martin_T said:

Neurodegenerative disease is not fun. Anything that minimises the risk for future generations should be welcomed. 

This.

[i8hibsh]

A war in the year 2040 will involve sitting in pink onesies interacting through a shoot em up game on computer. Soft as shite.

[...a bit disco]

On 16/01/2020 at 13:39, tian447 said:

 

 

Some people will see this as pandering, and "snowflake special treatment", but I guess those people don't have much to worry about on the whole brain issue themselves.

 

10 minutes ago, i8hibsh said:

A war in the year 2040 will involve sitting in pink onesies interacting through a shoot em up game on computer. Soft as shite.

 

Et voila.

[tian447]

1 minute ago, ...a bit disco said:

 

 

Et voila.

 

Right on cue

 

Imagine sitting at home getting that worked up about things going on in the world! 

[...a bit disco]

1 minute ago, tian447 said:

 

Right on cue

 

Imagine sitting at home getting that worked up about things going on in the world! 

 

Not surprised in the slightest though!

 

[tian447]

2 minutes ago, ...a bit disco said:

 

Not surprised in the slightest though!