Soccer experts!
My son, U13 defender, has been getting frustrated with his youth coach berating him for seemingly not heading ever ball. I plan to talk to the coach at practice tonight but was hoping for some guidance. He has been playing for 8 years and this is the first time a coach has had an issue with him regarding this.
Crosses or high thru-balls he will head out or attempt to, he doesn't duck,; but high balls from clearances or goalie punts he prefers to trap or chest down. We worked on this forever when he was younger so his success rate at getting the ball down to his feet is very high. As a defender why is this wrong if he has time? His passing accuracy is a hell of a lot higher than if he was going to try to head the ball just to keep it from 'hitting the ground'. He has never been a kid to just head the ball just to head it like teammates that put a head on anything above the waist.
Trapping it just make the coach nervous?
I am sure his coach will explain, just hoping for some insight from other youth coaches and/or parents.
My son, U13 defender, has been getting frustrated with his youth coach berating him for seemingly not heading ever ball. I plan to talk to the coach at practice tonight but was hoping for some guidance. He has been playing for 8 years and this is the first time a coach has had an issue with him regarding this.
Crosses or high thru-balls he will head out or attempt to, he doesn't duck,; but high balls from clearances or goalie punts he prefers to trap or chest down. We worked on this forever when he was younger so his success rate at getting the ball down to his feet is very high. As a defender why is this wrong if he has time? His passing accuracy is a hell of a lot higher than if he was going to try to head the ball just to keep it from 'hitting the ground'. He has never been a kid to just head the ball just to head it like teammates that put a head on anything above the waist.
Trapping it just make the coach nervous?
I am sure his coach will explain, just hoping for some insight from other youth coaches and/or parents.