As a ref and coach there is quite a lot to get my head around.
Heading U7 - 11 rule changes
- Thread starter Pembroke
- Start date
As a ref and coach there is quite a lot to get my head around.
something about starting secondary school must harden the skull! /s
I would like to see what this looks like in reality.
The retreat line exists to encourage team play. This rule change appears to encourage little Braydon/Jaydon/Kaydon (every team has one or two with those names now) to belt balls down the pitch players will have to avoid heading!
Edit .. Update - https://www.englandfootball.com/participate/learn/Brain-Health/Heading-in-Football
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ChasObserverRefDeveloper
Regular Contributor
The heading ban has been in operation for this season in most of our local youth leagues, and there have been very few issues.
I watched a training session on Sat where they were trying to adapt the kids to not heading and it was very confusing for them. They were dribbling in, instead of throw-ins. Some were just dribbling in a few paces and lobbing the ball into the area though, and all the defenders were just ducking.
A odd element of this rule change is that dribble ins/kick ins have more value than corner kicks and frequently free kicks.
Coached one game with what will be u8's and its added a lot of variables. That complexity is confusing for children.
And for officials when the change is first introduced! It will take time to adjust. I enjoyed doing the odd mini soccer match last season to start off and build confidence, but this change has made it much easier for me to decide not to do any more. I would completely forget, and honestly it will be a nightmare to explain to some coaches who won't have been keeping on top of it (not all, some!).
I’m just having a dabble into kids football for a change and some extra matches, (and my ages!!) can anyone confirm re this new pass / dribble in rule
A player may touch the ball (making it in play) and then immediately shoot and score, this is allowed as long as they touch it first and it clearly moves?
A player may touch the ball (making it in play) and then immediately shoot and score, this is allowed as long as they touch it first and it clearly moves?
Yes, the kicker can touch the ball as many times as they want without passing but it isn’t in play until kicked and clearly moved.
As ever, tell managers once and then it’s THEIR responsibility to communicate and coach their team, not ours.
Oh 100%. I just think that we really shouldn't even have to say once.
“Hi chaps, new season, new rules, good to go, yeah cool… *peep*”
We've had no heading for U11 and younger for quite a while here in the US and I've done dozens of U11 and younger matches and what I (and whoever, I've refereed with, because, believe it or not, most of the U11 and younger games I've refereed have 3-man crews.) have done because of what I have been instructed to do from my assignors, etc. is, once the ball hit a player's head, face, neck...the game is stopped. There is no advantage to even be considered. The game is stopped. You check on the player and make a determination if he or she needs to be subbed out. The restart is...if it's a deliberate header, indirect kick from the spot of the header to the opposing team...unless it's inside the goal box then you move it outside the goal box to the closest point blah blah. If it's incidental, then it's a drop ball. Any drop ball inside the penalty area goes to the keeper. Any drop ball outside the penalty is dropped at the spot of the header to the team that last played the ball fairly. It doesn't necessary go to the team of the player that accidentally headed the ball. So if blue kicks it and it accidently hit's red in the head. Drop to Blue where it hit red in the head. If blue kicks the ball and accidently hits blue in the head, drop to blue where it hit blue in the head...and it can even be a throw in that hits a player in the head. Your question made me think of this scenario that I had...blue shoots, red keeper tries to catch the shot, goes off the GLs hand, grazes his head, ball goes in the goal. Decision...no goal. Drop to GK after checking on him as it was accidental.
socal lurker
RefChat Addict
I don’t think that is right under US protocols. As it wasn’t deliberate, not an offense, and only need to stop play if need to check on a possible injury. I believe the correct US call on the play as written is goal. (I’m more confident in that for AYSO than USSF.)
That said, I don’t believe the UK rule matches what we do in the US.
I don't see any reason why you wouldn't play advantage, but equally I'm not fully read up on the heading ban as I never referee the age groups.