Football Coaching Courses - Heading the ball

Football Coaching Courses – Runs to attack crosses Coaching of Football Courses – Attacking Heading Football Coaching Courses – Defending heading

Football Coaching Courses - Whilst the famous manager Brian Clough once said "If God had wanted us to play football in the clouds, he'd have put grass up there" The fact is that in football the ball does go into the air and when it does, it very often requires players to head the ball.

Players in certain positions namely centre halves and centre forwards are more likely to have to be able to head the ball than other players. But if a football coach takes a football coaching course, it is important that they can give all players an understanding of how to head the ball, both from an attacking and defending perspective.

When taking a football coaching course, football coaches will learn how to coach players in the techniques and skills of heading. Football coaches should be very aware of the inherent dangers of coaching this topic. Players’ heads can collide, as can flying elbows and other parts of the body with heads. Players who wear glasses are always going to be at risk in heading sessions. On football coaching courses coaches will be taught how to gradually introduce unopposed heading techniques with young players.

Whilst there are a number of technical factors involved in both attacking and defensive heading, the biggest requirement for both is a desire from the player to get to the ball first and attack the ball with commitment and desire. It doesn't matter how good a player is technically when heading the ball in unopposed sessions. The best headers of the ball will always be the ones who want to get to it first and attack it.

Whilst undertaking a football coaching course, coaches will understand how both attacking and defending heading share a number of key technical factors. These being: A desire to attack and be first to the ball: Where possible the angle of approach should be down the line of the ball: Ideally contact with the ball should be with the forehead: For defensive headers, where height and distance is desirable, contact with the ball should be through the bottom half of the ball, for attacking headers, when it is normally preferable to head the ball down, contact with the ball should be through the top half of the ball.

Football Coaching Courses – The following are considered the key technical football coaching factors to improve attacking and defending heading:

ATTACKING NEAR POST RUNS

Football Coaching Courses - Timing of run to near post - Players should time their runs to meet the ball within 2 - 3 yards of the near post area. It is important that they don't run too far beyond the near post.
Football Coaching Courses - Angle of the run - Ideally the angle should be such that the player making the run can adjust their position down the line of the cross
Football Coaching Courses - Attack the ball -Players will need to show a desire to be first to the ball and attack it
Football Coaching Courses - Contact of the head with the ball - Forehead on the top to middle of the ball
Football Coaching Courses - Use the pace of the cross - Most near post crosses will have a fair degree of pace on them, so players should look to use the pace of the cross when heading the ball
Football Coaching Courses - Head down and hit the target - The attacker is trying to score, so if they focus on heading the ball down and at the goal, this will give them the best chance.

FOOTBALL COACHING COURSES - ATTACKING FAR POST RUNS

Football Coaching Courses - Timing and angle of run attack down the line of the ball - The timing of the run should be such that the player can meet the cross at the highest point they can achieve. The angle of the run should be down the line of the ball, this gives them a chance to readjust their run to the flight of the cross
Coaching On Football Courses - Attack the ball - Players will need to show a desire to be first to the ball and attack it
Football Coaching Courses - Contact of the head with the ball - Forehead on the top to middle of the ball head the ball down
Coaching On Football Courses - Direction of the header back across the goalkeeper - Ideally, the direction of the header should be down and back across the goalkeeper, to the far post area.
Football Coaching Courses - Timing of the jump - If the player has to jump to meet the cross, they will need to concentrate on the timing of the jump, so they can meet the ball at their highest possible point

FOOTBALL COACHING COURSES - DEFENDING HEADING

Football Coaching Courses - Assess the flight of the ball and move the feet to get in the line of the ball - If possible, the initial movement of the players should to get in the line of the ball and attack it down that line.
Coaching On Football Courses - Attitude to get to the ball first and attack it if possible - There will be times when it isn't possible to get to the ball first, but where there is a realistic chance, players should be determined and aggressive and attack the ball
Football Coaching Courses - Decision on type of defensive heading technique - Ideally, a defensive header should be back where the ball has come from, with height and distance. But sometimes this isn't possible or desirable, they may have the opportunity to cushion the header to a team mate, or they might have to back pedal and flick the ball away to safety.
Coaching On Football Courses - Contact of the head with the ball - Ideally, the forehead through the bottom of the ball
Football Coaching Courses - Timing of the jump - If the player has to jump, they will need to concentrate on the timing of the jump, so they can meet the ball at their highest possible point.
Coaching On Football Courses - Decision making, to head or to cover - Communication will play a big part in this decision. If the player can't head the ball, they should look to drop off and provide cover for the flick or the knock down from the attacker

In the members area of the site there are over 250 computer game quality 3D animated football coaching drills and sessions, with chapters specifically dedicated to football coaching courses. Using the same technology as the virtual football replays that appear on the Premier league and BBC football web sites, we have designed a wide variety of animated football coaching sessions aimed at football coaches who are taking football coaching courses.

Imagine being able to view the animated football coaching drills from any number of angles, zoom in and out to see how the football coaching session evolves, slow the speed down and choose to have the top tips for football coaching courses. It is totally interactive and delivers a unique online learning experience for all levels of football coaches taking football coaching courses.

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