Heading Basics

Proper technique prevents injuries and leads to better play
April 7, 2010
D.C. United staff
Chris Pontius

Set Up:

  • Two players per team.
  • One ball per team.

Procedure:

Player T (the tosser) tosses the ball to player H (the header). Start H sitting down on the ground. T tosses to H and H returns it as best he/she can to T 5 times.

From there, H moves to his/her knees- which allows for more power on the header as you can better utilize the abs. T should toss from a slightly farther distance to compensate for the added power.

After that, H moves to his/her feet- keeping both feet on the ground, which allows the most power. T should toss from a farther distance, and H should focus on heading the ball firmly to T’s hands.

After the standing headers, T should toss the ball higher to H, and H should jump head the ball back to T in a clearing fashion (up and away). This emphasizes defensive heading, which helps clear the ball during an attack.

Coaching Points:

  1. Hit the ball with the forehead.
  2. Watch the ball all the way- do not close your eyes!
  3. Focus on emphasizing where the power comes from in each different section of the drill. (Neck in section 1, Back/abs/neck section 2, legs/abs/back/neck section 3).

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