US Soccer bans headers.

And so it begins.

Just over five years ago I predicted this day would come. At the time, many of my colleagues proclaimed me to be crazy, but this was a no-brainer, in my opinion. It was simply a matter of time before someone filed a lawsuit alleging heading a soccer ball contributed to brain damage.  The class action lawsuit that was the catalyst for these changes did not seek monetary awards. It only sought to change the rules, maybe even the Laws of the Game.

The New York Times "broke" the story early today. You can read that article here.

This is soccer's version of Pandora's Box. Addressing heading the ball at the U11 and below levels seems like a small and smart action, but it will likely lead to severe changes in the Laws of the Game at some point in the not too distant future. 

Let us begin by examining the impact of the changes as we know them to be at this time.

1) No heading of the ball at the U11 and younger ages groups.  Presumably if a player heads the soccer ball in game action the opposing team will be award an indirect free kick from the spot of the infraction.

2) There is a restriction prohibiting heading the soccer ball in practice for U11 - U13 age groups.  This will be nearly impossible to enforce and will be reliant on an honor system. Offending coaches / clubs will likely face some sort of sanction if caught teaching players in this age group to head the ball - monetary fines and / or suspension of coaching privileges.

Now, ask yourself how many 10 year olds head the soccer ball intentionally and on a regular basis? Not very many. However, by the time players reach age 12 heading the ball begins surfacing in the game on a more regular basis.  I'm not at all sure why 13 years of age will become the age for beginning to teach the proper technique for heading soccer ball.  Is there a scientific reason that indicates something magical occurs when players reach the U14 age group to make heading the ball of less concern?

I believe the ban as currently constructed is nothing more than an initial step towards a move to ban heading altogether. This movement will be from the bottom up. Where will it end?  FIFA will have to eventually weigh in on this issue to a far greater extent than they have to this point.

Zonal defenses rely heavily on their backs being able to clear flighted through balls by heading the ball up and out.  There will surely be an emphasis on kicking the ball high and long until or unless defenders can adapt to not being able to head the soccer ball.

Wait a minute ,,,

Will this new ruling make kick and run soccer even more popular?  Isn't kick and run soccer actually a primary reason defenders head the soccer ball to begin with?  So, reliance on big, fast and strong players will be emphasized even more to the detriment of possessing the ball to build an attack, correct?  Just maybe we are addressing the issue of heading the ball (concussions) bass ackward, so to speak.  What might happen if a mandate that the flight of any played ball could not rise above shoulder height? Then the emphasis would be placed on skill sets and tactics of possessing the ball, yes?

Once the ban on heading reaches older age groups what will happen with free kicks, corner kicks, punts and goal kicks?  Talk about changes in strategies! Taking away heading for a goal and heading to defend goal will change the game dramatically. It will bring about a near complete over haul of tactics as we know them today.

Where's the game headed?

Share your thoughts here in the comments section or send me a message / email.

The game is about to undergo a change not seen since the last time the offside law was tinkered with.

Offside

Still the most misunderstood Law of the Game. 

Be sure to watch the video linked at the end of the article!  It contains the best, most simple explanation of offside I have found.

Law #11 Offside

First of all a clarification for American's. The correct term is offside, with no "s" on the end. Offsides occurs in American football, not soccer. Offside is probably the most difficult LOTG of soccer for spectators to understand and interpret.

1) An attacking player must be behind the ball OR have two defending players between him and the goal when the ball is played to him.

2) A player cannot be offside on his own half of the field.

That's the simplest explanation I can give.

Complications:

Offside does not have to be called on a player in an offside position. A determination is made by the referee crew if that player is involved with play.

The call of offside is NOT always made immediately upon the ball being played forward to a teammate. The proper technique for the AR and CR is to wait until a play is made on the ball by a player in an offside position. If no play is made on the ball by an atacking player in an offside position, play is not stopped and continues with a defender playing the ball.

Furthermore, you cannot be offside when receiving the ball directly from a thrown-in , on a goal kick in your favor or if you receive a ball directly from a corner kick.

This is a link to an excellent animated explanation of offside. It does a far better job than my written word can do.


http://www.dynamic-thought.com/OffsideClicketteLo.html

High School Rule Changes

Details can be found at this lnk:  http://www.ohsaa.org/sports/so/girls/2013/2013NFHSSORulesRelease.pdf


In short, coaches and players may now huddle during injury stoppages, more subjectivity given to referees when obvious goal scoring opportunities are denied by foul, further uniform restrictions - this time pertaining to socks / tape.