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>In the US, Youth (11 and under) soccer leagues have already banned heading the ball. In those leagues, it's the same as hitting the ball with your hand. This

>In the US, Youth (11 and under) soccer leagues have already banned heading the ball. In those leagues, it's the same as hitting the ball with your hand. This must be new. I refereed youth soccer around 2003 and this was def. not the case then. Edit: It looks like this change was made November 2015: http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2015/11/09/22/57/151109-ussoccer-provides-additional-information-about-upcoming-player-safety-campaign http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2015/11/09/22/57/151109-usso... >I would guess it will always be a part of professional play, but college level and under probably should do away with it. Wat. I played youth and highschool Soccer and was never injured or saw someone injured by contact with the call when heading ball... (it was always due to mistaken player contact). Reading this it might be real... Bizarre. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2016/10/25/heading-a-soccer-ball-causes-instant-brain-changes-study-finds/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2016/1...

posguy 9y ago
Not to mention the potential health side-effects of the loose ground rubber fields, which could perhaps be causing cancer among many goalies: http://www.menshealth.com/health/artificial-turf-cancer-risk http://www.menshealth.com/health/artificial-turf-cancer-risk
jimbokun 9y ago
I believe the greater risk is head-to-head collisions, when multiple players go for the ball.
- bonesss 9y ago
  As a combat sports fan who follows the issues with brain trauma (chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, being the condition to watch out for): it's gonna be both. We used to think it was the major concussions that did the long-term damage, and you'd be fine if you avoided the big shots as a boxer (let's say). Modern research shows that the sustained, repeated, sub-concussive blows are genuinely bad for the brain. Training itself can be a major cause of brain damage. Soccer doesn't focus exclusively on heading the ball, but practicing heading for years, and pushing your limits in games, definitely adds up and has resulted in soccer players with CTE. Major concussive events, like head-to-head collisions, are decidedly no help on top of those training regimes.

posguy 9y ago

Not to mention the potential health side-effects of the loose ground rubber fields, which could perhaps be causing cancer among many goalies: http://www.menshealth.com/health/artificial-turf-cancer-risk http://www.menshealth.com/health/artificial-turf-cancer-risk

jimbokun 9y ago

I believe the greater risk is head-to-head collisions, when multiple players go for the ball.

bonesss 9y ago
As a combat sports fan who follows the issues with brain trauma (chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, being the condition to watch out for): it's gonna be both. We used to think it was the major concussions that did the long-term damage, and you'd be fine if you avoided the big shots as a boxer (let's say). Modern research shows that the sustained, repeated, sub-concussive blows are genuinely bad for the brain. Training itself can be a major cause of brain damage. Soccer doesn't focus exclusively on heading the ball, but practicing heading for years, and pushing your limits in games, definitely adds up and has resulted in soccer players with CTE. Major concussive events, like head-to-head collisions, are decidedly no help on top of those training regimes.