Is it time to ban heading in women's soccer? (or in soccer all together?)

[Anonymous]

Can i blame my increasing stupidity in middle age to my competitive soccer career?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why is heading the ball essential? I can see incidental head contact with the ball as ok, but purposely heading it could be 'outlawed.' Besides it could make for more 'acting' opportunities!

Because if you can't use your hands, your head is the next best way to gain control of the ball when it's in the air. Without it, a lot less goals would be scored.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is heading the ball essential? I can see incidental head contact with the ball as ok, but purposely heading it could be 'outlawed.' Besides it could make for more 'acting' opportunities!

Because if you can't use your hands, your head is the next best way to gain control of the ball when it's in the air. Without it, a lot less goals would be scored.

With out there would be more emphasis on foot skills and touch. Watching the game without heading is much more enjoyable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is heading the ball essential? I can see incidental head contact with the ball as ok, but purposely heading it could be 'outlawed.' Besides it could make for more 'acting' opportunities!

Because if you can't use your hands, your head is the next best way to gain control of the ball when it's in the air. Without it, a lot less goals would be scored.

With out there would be more emphasis on foot skills and touch. Watching the game without heading is much more enjoyable.

Anyone who says that never played, nor has any real grasp of what a good soccer game looks like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No one is at greater risk of injury than gks. Where are their champions? Instead, we are just obsessing over heading the ball.

Maybe we should remove kicking next. After all, look what happened to this poor fellow in a game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7nPsC6p9Yc

I say we ban kicking it too. Just in case...

+1000 for the GK comment.

[Anonymous]

At what age is heading allowed? So far, my kids' leagues haven't allowed heading.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stop playing sports, safest place is in a bubble. Lets look at all the female players that are > 50 years old and study them. If there aren't any former players that show evidence, then play on.

Amen! 52 and still out there, heading balls.

Are you a woman?

Yes.

An idiotic comment. You don't have to wait until they are >50. Look at Cindy Parlow Cone: https://www.cnn.com/2015/11/12/health/cindy-parlow-cone-soccer-concussion/index.html

[Anonymous]

^^ as she described, back then they didn’t take players out that had concussions. She had repeated head collisions/concussions in the SAME game. I’ve seen them not let FIFA players back on the field after a heading collision.

It’s not perfect, but it is way better than it was in the 80s/90s/early 2000.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is heading the ball essential? I can see incidental head contact with the ball as ok, but purposely heading it could be 'outlawed.' Besides it could make for more 'acting' opportunities!

Because if you can't use your hands, your head is the next best way to gain control of the ball when it's in the air. Without it, a lot less goals would be scored.

With out there would be more emphasis on foot skills and touch. Watching the game without heading is much more enjoyable.

Anyone who says that never played, nor has any real grasp of what a good soccer game looks like.

You are a idiot. Heading break the speed of play, slows down the game, and favors a type of player who would not get on the field if they could not jump high and head. It is obvious by your statement that you have no any understanding of soccer. Why don’t you just keep standing on the sidelines screaming “SEND IT”...it’s what someone with your grasp(or lack of it) of the game does well.

[Anonymous]

Injuries from heading the ball and head-to-head collisions happen mostly in the penalty box.

While head gears will not completely eliminate concussions, it has to reduce the severity of the injury. Rather than debate it here, if anyone is concerned about their DD, make your child wear it.

US soccer does not allow heading until U12. Once my DD reaches that age and is still playing competitive travel soccer, I will make her wear one. I don’t need to ask anyone about their opinion whether or not it’s good for her to wear one.

Does wearing a bicycle helmet completely eliminate head injuries? No, but I make my daughter wear it every time she bikes. I’m sure there are people that still drives without their seat belts too.....it’s their prerogative to take any unnecessary risk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

You are a idiot. Heading break the speed of play, slows down the game, and favors a type of player who would not get on the field if they could not jump high and head. It is obvious by your statement that you have no any understanding of soccer. Why don’t you just keep standing on the sidelines screaming “SEND IT”...it’s what someone with your grasp(or lack of it) of the game does well.

Further proof you never played. A good header contributes to possession, furthers the ball into play, a good header flick can assist a goal or even be one.

Poeple who say "send it" want long ball soccer, low level soccer like high school ball. So wrong on that score as well.

But keep name calling. That just shows how emotional you become when you are grasping at straws.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Injuries from heading the ball and head-to-head collisions happen mostly in the penalty box.

While head gears will not completely eliminate concussions, it has to reduce the severity of the injury. Rather than debate it here, if anyone is concerned about their DD, make your child wear it.

US soccer does not allow heading until U12. Once my DD reaches that age and is still playing competitive travel soccer, I will make her wear one. I don’t need to ask anyone about their opinion whether or not it’s good for her to wear one.

Does wearing a bicycle helmet completely eliminate head injuries? No, but I make my daughter wear it every time she bikes. I’m sure there are people that still drives without their seat belts too.....it’s their prerogative to take any unnecessary risk.

+1000. Here's a parent who gets it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stop playing sports, safest place is in a bubble. Lets look at all the female players that are > 50 years old and study them. If there aren't any former players that show evidence, then play on.

An idiotic comment. You don't have to wait until they are >50. Look at Cindy Parlow Cone: https://www.cnn.com/2015/11/12/health/cindy-parlow-cone-soccer-concussion/index.html

Some people do seem to be more susceptible than others. Wambach had a very long lived career off of header goals.

Did she wear a concussion headband? Picture would suggest not (nor do I think they were an option back then. There is a solution for this concern.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Injuries from heading the ball and head-to-head collisions happen mostly in the penalty box.

While head gears will not completely eliminate concussions, it has to reduce the severity of the injury. Rather than debate it here, if anyone is concerned about their DD, make your child wear it.

US soccer does not allow heading until U12. Once my DD reaches that age and is still playing competitive travel soccer, I will make her wear one. I don’t need to ask anyone about their opinion whether or not it’s good for her to wear one.

Does wearing a bicycle helmet completely eliminate head injuries? No, but I make my daughter wear it every time she bikes. I’m sure there are people that still drives without their seat belts too.....it’s their prerogative to take any unnecessary risk.

+1000. Here's a parent who gets it.

+10,000. I don’t even understand why there are debates/arguments over this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Injuries from heading the ball and head-to-head collisions happen mostly in the penalty box.

While head gears will not completely eliminate concussions, it has to reduce the severity of the injury. Rather than debate it here, if anyone is concerned about their DD, make your child wear it.

US soccer does not allow heading until U12. Once my DD reaches that age and is still playing competitive travel soccer, I will make her wear one. I don’t need to ask anyone about their opinion whether or not it’s good for her to wear one.

Does wearing a bicycle helmet completely eliminate head injuries? No, but I make my daughter wear it every time she bikes. I’m sure there are people that still drives without their seat belts too.....it’s their prerogative to take any unnecessary risk.

+1000. Here's a parent who gets it.

+10,000. I don’t even understand why there are debates/arguments over this.

Me either. The research is clear. Choose to ignore it if you want but don't discount it. As for all this who played and think you are fine, changes are subtle and you don't recognize the decline without baseline testing, it may mean you get dementia earlier, etc. Bottom line, it increases white matter in the brain and that is a fact.