US sawkerball concussion crisis...will nobody think of the children

[Misfit]

http://soccer.nbcsports.com/2015/11...tocol-for-youth-soccer/?cid=eref:nbcnews:text

Following 15 months of litigation, U.S. Soccer announced on Monday a brand new series of initiatives designed to reduce the number of concussions suffered by youth soccer players, including the limitation and/or outright banning of heading the ball for players under the age of 13.

Still, at least nobody argued that the children should be armed with guns. For now...

Not sure it's a bad thing for the little kiddies to keep it on the ground - as they surely do anyway? 13 years old to start heading a fucking ball though? They're not made of lead anymore.

All because Nuffle players have their heads wobbled and bashed into mush.

 

[MichaelPawson]

Science is finally catching up to how dangerous concussions are, especially a series of them, and young athletes are especially in danger because their brains are still development. For that reason, I don't necessarily mind the rule changes. I doubt much damage can be done from getting hit in the head from a six year old's drop kick, but changing the substitution rules to not incentivize staying on the field with a concussion seems like a really good idea to me.

 

[Misfit]

Yep. No probs with the littleun's not heading. They struggle enough kicking the sodding ball as is. There is no real danger to an older child heading a modern football with proper technique though. That technique won't be taught to them until they're in their teens now. Concussions happen at all ages and without proper technique in terms of jumping and protecting yourself until they're older, it could be that the adult number of serious head injuries in the US sawker might spike. I mean, it might lead to a nation of 6' bruising bastards with skills on the deck like Messi also but its doubtful. Right move in general but the obvious targets missed imo, and deliberately.

Ban Peewee football (gridiron) and see an actual difference made.

 

[SlickMongoose]

Sounds like a good idea to me too.

 

[E17yid]

Is that why all prem footballers are stupid?

 

[soup]

I'm 40 and still usually connect with either my face, one eye, or the sunglasses resting on the top of my head. Rarely the intended forehead. People told me to keep my eyes open, on the ball and guide my head onto it. I would've rather it banned.

The shin volley, the diving thigh and scramble-hack-kick are all in my street footballing repertoire, but the common header has never been a skill I've perfected.

 

[Riandor]

I coach a local kids team here in Germany and I think we did headers once so far in training, just to help them understand that you don't have to fear a ball in the air.

That being said, I'm totally happy to leave it out as a general rule, nor do I ask them to even try in a game.

The DFB don't advocate headers at such an age and I try to stick to that.

Shame I'm missing Andreas Breeze visiting, could of asked him his opinion. Damn RL job!!

 

[Geyzer Soze]

I'm 40 and still usually connect with either my face, one eye, or the sunglasses resting on the top of my head. Rarely the intended forehead. People told me to keep my eyes open, on the ball and guide my head onto it. I would've rather it banned.

The shin volley, the diving thigh and scramble-hack-kick are all in my street footballing repertoire, but the common header has never been a skill I've perfected.

So it's you in @mpickard2087's avatar is it?

 

[Misfit]

I coach a local kids team here in Germany and I think we did headers once so far in training, just to help them understand that you don't have to fear a ball in the air.

That being said, I'm totally happy to leave it out as a general rule, nor do I ask them to even try in a game.

The DFB don't advocate headers at such an age and I try to stick to that.

Shame I'm missing Andreas Breeze visiting, could of asked him his opinion. Damn RL job!!

Yep. No need to be heading at that age. Besides, there are probably about 3 10/11 year olds in da whole wide world with enough physical strength and coordination to whip in a cross at head height so the chances of them having to head the ball in anger is virtually zero anyway.

I get it, it's the multiple sub-concussive forces they want to avoid. And on rapidly developing brains, it's sensible. I dunno though, why ban this which if taught properly with modern footballs is no danger for a healthy 11/12/13 year old, imo but allow peewee football to continue. It seems less about safety and more a simple political act to give the appearance of anyone giving a shit about the kiddies.

Maybe it's why it stands out to me, seems hypocritical.

 

[MichaelPawson]

Peewee football in some parts of America is a big, big deal, and it's often corrupt as hell. One league got shut down a few years ago and made national news here in the States because there was a massive gambling ring connected to it. People were putting five figure bets on the results of football games where 9-year-olds run the ball up the middle every play. Another league had it's season cancelled because games kept being called due to gunshots.

Unsurprisingly, both of these incidents happened in Florida.

 

[Misfit]

Peewee football in some parts of America is a big, big deal, and it's often corrupt as hell. One league got shut down a few years ago and made national news here in the States because there was a massive gambling ring connected to it. People were putting five figure bets on the results of football games where 9-year-olds run the ball up the middle every play. Another league had it's season cancelled because games kept being called due to gunshots.

Unsurprisingly, both of these incidents happened in Florida.

Haha. Having lived in, by comparison to the rest of the State, modern and cosmopolitan Miami for a year or so, I can believe it. It was a little surreal being told to fly and not drive by the natives when travelling within Florida. I thought, and still do to an extent, they were being prissy and judgemental but each story I shake my head at comes from FLA 9/10 times.

And yeah, peewee leagues are a huge deal. Every other week there a mini traffic jam as hunnerts of folks drove to whatever game their kid was involved in. Probably got bigger crowds than you get at League 2 matches for the big games. Which is ridiculous as all they are really watching is a giant helmet wobble under the strain of said helmet for a few yards before collapsing flat on its face. Repeat ad nauseum.

 

[Hoops]

pussies

 

[soup]

So it's you in @mpickard2087's avatar is it?

Nearly. That'd be me attempting a bicycle kick.

 

[TheAmerican]

I see nothing wrong with it, we don't have the technical discipline to teach the majority of kids in the US how to do it properly. 9/10 "coaches" are just a kids dad with little to no experience.

 

[TheAmerican]

Also, I should point out that I do think 13 is a little old. I could see this being 10 and under and being a bit more reasonable.

 

[Misfit]

I see nothing wrong with it, we don't have the technical discipline to teach the majority of kids in the US how to do it properly. 9/10 "coaches" are just a kids dad with little to no experience.

Right. As discussed earlier, not many kids even at 10/11 have the strength to ping a ball across the box at head height anyway so bit of a moot point.

I have to admit, I had not thought about the relative level of coaching. The serious clubs and bigger schools etc will be fine but the majority will be organised and run in the main by parent volunteers, as you say.

 

[ClintEastwould]

I don't think it's so much of heading the actual ball that's a problem rather the collisions that occur when multiple players attempt to challenge in the air.

 

[balebalebalebale]

Warning, I actually shed tears when I watched this: