Whether you call it football or soccer, heading is an important skill for players of the sport to learn. The Youth Soccer Skills website explains that correct heading technique involves watching the ball and making contact with the forehead, just above the eye brows. A soccer player should lean back before contact, and head through the ball using the neck muscles to generate power.
Heading in Pairs
Soccer players can work in pairs to develop technique. Players should stand five yards apart, facing each other. Player A throws the ball up in the air, and player B heads the ball back to him. Add movement, with player A catching the header, and running at least five yards to a different spot. Player B must follow and prepare for the next header. Add difficulty by asking players to head the ball while jumping. Add competition by having pairs race against each other, and award one point for each header caught by player A. After one minute, player A and player B should switch roles.
Heading to Clear
This soccer heading drill is designed to teach players how to head the ball away from their own goal when defending. A defensive soccer player (player A) should begin this drill in the middle of his own goal, lined up on the six-yard box. The ball is crossed in from the left sideline, and player A must head the ball away from goal. The coach should award one point if player A heads the ball outside of the penalty area without the ball touching the ground. To encourage accuracy, a coach can put down three goals that are five yards wide, and spread evenly along the 18-yard line. Award one point if a defensive header goes outside of the penalty area, and five points if the ball is headed through a goal. Player A should head 10 crosses clear, then head to the sideline so another defensive player can perform the drill. Practice defensive headers from the opposite sideline when the drill is completed. Add to the difficulty of this heading drill by adding an attacking player to oppose the defender and challenge for the ball.
Heading to Goal
This soccer heading drill teaches players to score goals off headers. The attacking player, player A, begins the drill in front of the goal, at the 18-yard line. Player B stands on the left sideline and crosses balls into player A. Player A is awarded one point if she heads the ball on target and it is saved by the goalkeeper, and five points if she scores a goal off the header. After 10 repetitions, rotate the attacking player. After the drill is completed, repeat with crosses coming from the right sideline. Increase the difficulty by adding a defensive player to challenge for the ball.
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