Heading the ball to be banned at U12 level (season long trial)

[crazyg]

If the mass is halved but the speed has doubled the force is exactly the same. The mass hasn't halved, but the speed has increased dramatically. The forces imparted by 'modern' balls could actually be greater.

And, therefore, e = mc².
QED.
Playing centre half in a match at Hough End, I went to head a ball coming in from orbit, and the centre forward nudged me just as it came down. The ball hit me straight on the top of my head. Apparently, I spent half of the second half picking daisies and being sick! My mate took me to my fiancées, and her dad took me to Withy hospital, where an x ray found nothing (not unexpected), so I went back and spent the night at my fiancées suffering from concussion.
I've been perfectly normal ever since.
Wibble.

 

[I'm With Stupid]

Should only be allowed to play with one of these:

 

[Nethermoor]

Obviously cases like Jeff Astle show how heading the ball can affect a footballer’s life.

Balls are significantly lighter these days. Has there been a footballer diagnosed with a brain injury that has played in the last 20 years?

Stephen Darby?

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

Stephen Darby?

Not sure MND has been linked to the heading of a ball, but I’m no expert.

 

[mattcity5]

Caught the back end of a piece on the radio yesterday.

Basically saying the issue is potentially more prevalent now as it is due to the velocity of the ball.

Modern balls travel faster, the impact speed causes more damage.

This.

Watch vids from the 60s/70s in muddy pitches and yes the ball is heavy, but because of that theres less power in peoples kicks. Look how far keepers kicked it out their hands back then - theyd be happy reaching the halfway line. Now, Ederson lands them on the edge of the opposition area without trying.

There *will* be cases from the 21st century, its just that the damage isnt showing up yet. Headgear wont help, as the damage is caused by the brain smashing against the inside of the skull and that would still be the same.

It annoys me how the press mention ex-pros having issues when there are potentially millions of amateurs who played the game for 20 or 30 years out there and could be suffering the same.

I'd miss seeing heading in matches, but the game changes and goes on, it will find a way (to paraphrase Jeff Goldblum). People thought banning backpasses was mad at first, but look how much better the game became once it adapted.

 

[Gray]

Good luck trying to enforce that.

Absolutely laughable at corners.

 

[edinburgh123]

I think this is an agenda. Pep had an entire attack and midfield that are 5 foot 6 and we outplay teams by whizzing it along the ground. Then we sign one giant and they sneak in a heading ban… :-)