Heading Technique
Develop proper heading form for both defensive clearances and attacking headers.
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Attack the ball with a clean forehead contact, eyes open, and direct it where you intend.
Partner to serve, ball, optional goal/target.
- Have a partner toss or chip the ball to you
- Use your forehead to make contact with the ball
- Keep your eyes open and neck muscles tight
- Attack the ball, don't let it hit you
- Practice directing headers to targets or into goal
- Alternate between standing and jumping headers
- Eyes open through contact
- Forehead meets the ball, neck muscles firing
- Body attacking forward, not standing still
- Direction is intended — into a target, not random
- Closing eyes at contact
- Hitting with the top of the head instead of the forehead
- Letting the ball hit you instead of attacking it
- No neck tension — ball just drops at your feet
Foundation
Standing forehead taps from a partner toss, 10 in a row.
Form
Direct headers to a target on the wall, 6 of 10 on target.
Tempo
Jumping headers from a serve, attack the ball.
Pressure
Diving header from a low cross.
Match Rhythm
Defensive clearance header — get height, distance and width.
Mastery
Attacking header from a corner kick service into a goal target.
Control Quality
Ball killed dead or cushioned for next action
Direction Setting
First touch sets up next move (away from pressure, toward space)
Body Positioning
Opens body to receive, positions for next action
Surface Selection
Uses appropriate body part (foot, thigh, chest) for the situation
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