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)

SKILLED TOUCHES

There are occasions when a downward header, or a glancing header is required and players should be practised from basic stage one to acquire a technical expertise.

Practice 1

Two players (A) and (B), one ball.

(A) stands 5 metres away from (B).

(A) lobs the ball at (B's) head; (A) then decides whether (B) should head downwards or sidewards by calling out 'down' or 'side'.

(B) keeps his feet on the ground in the early stages - and (A) should serve at (B's) head to ensure this.

After a while (A) can throw the ball up so that (B) has to jump before making contact with the ball.

CIRCLES CAN BE USED AS TARGET AREAS FOR (B) to aim at with his headers. Target areas should be no more than 5 metres away.

Diagram 1

Practice 1

Players line up as in diagram (2) with one man 5 metres ahead of the column.

Diagram 2

(X) throws the ball to (A) who heads downwards but straight into (X's) hands, then immediately runs to the back of the column behind (E).

(X) then throws to (B) who does exactly the same and so on till all the team have completed, then (A) takes (X's) place and so the practice goes on.

NB. TWO OR THREE TEAMS CAN PERFORM THIS PRACTICE, COMPETING AIMING TO BE THE FIRST TEAM TO COMPLETE THE RUN THROUGH

Practice 2

To progress players line up exactly as in practice (2), only this time (X) throws the ball at (A), who heads back to (X), who then heads to (B) (as (A) has run to the back of the group), who returns to (X) and so on. Each player trying to keep the ball up right through the practice.

Each header needs to be exact, and coaches should not aim at too long a distance to start with.

Diagram 3

Practice 1

6 players, one ball, two lines of 3 - not directly facing each other (see diagram 2). PLAYERS NO MORE THAN 5 METRES APART

(A) throws the ball up heads to (F) who heads to (B) and so on, till it reaches (D), who heads directly back to (C) and so the ball returns towards (A) at the start.

THE COACH CAN PROGRESS THE PRACTICE BY CALLING OUT THE NAME OF THE NEXT RECIPIENT, SO FOR EXAMPLE WHEN (A) IS ABOUT TO RECEIVE, THE COACH CAN SHOUT "(B)" OR "(C)" SO THAT VARYING SKILL HEADING TECHNIQUES AT REQUIRED.