From: archer@hsi.com (Garry Archer)
Subject: Re: Heading: Dain Bramage?? (in youth soccer)
Organization: 3M Health Information Systems, Wallingford CT
Distribution: rec.sport.soccer
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1992 15:52:34 GMT

In article <4912@balrog.ctron.com> mattb@olympus.ctron.com (Matt Brown) writes:
>
>Let's just have the players wear helmets.
> ......
>While the helmet thing was a joke, some one could design a moderately padded
>headband for youth players if there is any truth to this.  This small pad
>would cushion the blow enough to prevent damage.
> ......
>Matt
>Registrar & coach of the Seahawks (U10 Boys) 


Funnily enough, we had a discussion regarding helmets for goalkeepers
here in r.s.s a year or two ago.  I think we finally agreed that helmets
(for any player) would cause more damage to other players than only
protect the head of one player.

Albeit we did agree that goalkeepers are in a position to receive some
pretty serious knocks to the head and some protection was certainly
warranted.  Matt did mention a possible usage of soft, padded helmets
for youth players (I assume for any position).  One suggestion made in
light of goalkeepers head protection was a padded leather skull cap, 
something similar to those used in at least Rugby Football and possibly
other sports.

While Matt, and probably others, have made sensible suggestions regarding
protection for youth players and special modifications to the rules for
youth games to help avoid particular injuries, I couldn't help but smile
as I thought back to my own youth.

Aw, them were the days, lads and lassies!  You know, I never even wore 
shinpads (shinguards to the Yanks) until I was in my thirties when it 
became a mandatory FIFA rule!  Never mind anything other form of protection!

One of the attractive aspects of this sport is that all you need is a ball.

Thats all we had in my younger days in England!  We didn't have coaches, kits 
(uniforms), rules, pitches, goalposts... nor even a proper regulation football.
All we had was a plastic ball bought from the local Woolworths (the _only_
ball between hundreds of us :-)  And we used to play in our regular clothes
on any patch of grass (if there was any -- otherwise it was the street) we
could find, using coats or pullovers (sweaters) for goalposts.

And I reckon, here lies the problem, here in the United States.  

Well, perhaps its not a problem as far as organisation of the game goes, nor
providing the kids the best facilities available and certainly not as far as 
teaching the kids how to play this "foreign" sport.

But the problem I am eluding to is that the kids are being taught to play
strictly by the rules with "proper" equipment and coaches.  I look at the
balls the kids play with.  My 6-year old is required to bring a size four
leather ball to his scrimmages.  These kids are being taught to head and
kick a ball that, in my opinion, is still too heavy for kids at this age.
They are afraid to head the damn thing and they can't lift the ball in the
air when they want to kick it high.  Some of them complain that it hurts
to kick it hard.  Others don't want to be hit by the ball so avoid some
plays completely!  This is especially true in cases where a cheap ball
is being used where the leather is too hard.

I don't remember my first real football injury, but I do remember my
first encounters with real _leather_ footballs in organised matches at
school (the only times were ever really coached, per se).  In those days,
the leather "caser" balls were much heavier than todays, especially when
they got wet!  I used to _hate_ heading the ball and I've hurt my foot
countless times trying to kick the damn thing!  And if one of them was
blasted at _any_ part of the body, it may as well have been a cannonball
fired at you!  No wonder I'm brain-damaged now!  And its a wonder I was
able to have any kids at all...........

Looking back now, those old plastic balls were great.  I hardly remember
any injuries of any consequence.  Without coaches yelling at you left,
right and centre, all that was left was the sheer joy of playing footy
with no thoughts of anyone getting hurt or yelled at.

No flames intended.

	Cheers!


-- 
|                     Garry Archer Esq.     archer@hsi.com                     |
|                                                                              |
=========| Gresley Rovers Football Club ("The Moatmen"), founded 1882 |=========
Newsgroups: rec.sport.soccer