CONTROL SHOOTING PASSING DRIBBLING TURNING HEADING CREATE SPACE INDIVIDUAL DEFENDING SUPPORT PLAY GOALKEEPING CROSSING TACKLING THE THROW IN ATTACKING SET PLAYS DEFENDING SET PLAYS THE FREE KICK

HEADING

Please select a subsection from the topics below :

A basic introduction    Progression   Progression II    Progression III   Progression IV    Going for accuracy    Against opposition    Progression (defence)    Control    Heading for Goal    Practices for Heading    Practice for Heading II    Conditioned Games (Control)    Attack v Defence   Conditioned Games     Heading for Distance   Skilled Touches (Heading)

PRACTICES FOR HEADING II

Diagram 1

In this practice 9 players ONE ball. The players in groups of 3 as in diagram 1. The distance between (A1) to (C1) and (B1) to (C1) is around 4 metres. The practice is to head, move and change places.

So (C1), the player at the front of the rank of three, throws the ball up and heads to (A), then (C1) sprints to the rear of line A.

(A1), first time, heads the ball back to (C2) who has moved to replace (C1), then (A1) runs to the back of line C.

Now (C2) heads to (B1), bringing all three lines into the practice, and so the practice moves on.

AS AN ALTERNATIVE while they are positioned in three's the practice can change, with the players heading, then running to the rear of his own column.

Diagram 2

In diagram (2), (C1) throws the ball up, heads to (A1) then sprints to the back of line (C).

(A1) heads to (B1) then runs to the back of his column and so the practice progresses.

The coach can bring variation to the session by shouting the word 'CHANGE' while the ball is in the air. Then instead of heading in a clockwise direction, the next player must reverse the session by heading back to where the ball had come from i.e. in an anticlockwise direction.

Backward Heading

Diagram 3

The 3 groups now break into 3 lines as in diagram 3, with around 3 metres between players 1,2 and 3, ONE BALL TO EACH GROUP.

Player (1) in each group faces player 2, and player 3.

So (A1) throws the ball up, and heads to (A2)

(A2) heads to (A3) who is behind him

From this point there are two variations in the practice.

(a) (A3) can head back over (A2) to (A1), who then heads back to (A2) and so the practice continues.

OR

(b) Once (A2) has headed backwards to (A3) he turns round to face (A3) who heads back to him.

(A2) then heads backwards to (A1), and so the practice continues.

COACHES SHOULD ENSURE ACCURACY, particularly with the backward heading.

Diagram 4

In this practice (E) stands in the centre of 5 players, with a diameter of around 10 metres, ONE BALL. (D) throws it up and heads to (E).

(E) then decides who to head to, but in his session in the middle he should practice heading backwards, forwards and sideways.

In turn the players on the outside should use (E) wherever possible although to keep the ball up off the ground they may have to head to each other on occasions. Players exchange roles.

COACHES SHOULD AIM FOR ACCURATE HEADING FROM ALL 5 PLAYERS and should set competitive targets e.g. 50 consecutive headers.