From: cbar26@vaxa.strath.ac.uk
Subject: Re: Heading: Dain Bramage?? (check this out...)
Organization: Strathclyde University VAX Cluster
Distribution: rec.sport.soccer
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 13:04:40 GMT

In article <65h-jy#@engin.umich.edu>, monan@engin.umich.edu (Michael Patrick Monan) writes:
> 
> 	Ok, I saw this article in the Detroit Free Press... Whadaya think?
> 
> (under the heading "Good For You")
> 
> 			Heading for Disaster?
> 
> 	I like youth soccer.
> 	It's more aerobic than baseball, safer than football, cheaper than
> hockey and, best of all, everybody plays - boys, girls, big kids, little kids.
> 	Soccer is our fastest-growing youth sport. I've coached my son's 
> teams for two years and will be an assistant coach this fall.
> 	But somehting is nagging me, has me questioning my role.  My son loves 
> the game so much it was hard.  But finally I broke down and said: "Look, 
> there's a part of soccer I want you to avoid."
> 	Then I told him.  Now I'll tell you.
> 	Soccer has a dirty little secret. It's about heading, or bouncing the 
> ball off the head.
> 	This dirty little secret doesn't show up in coaching manuals because
> it's too new.  But in medical studies, it's there: Those who head the ball 
> enough times, hard enough, may suffer minor brain injury.
> 	I can hear coaches saying, "Rubbish!" and parents saying, "Forget it.
> My kid's getting a scholarship."
> 	I wish I could forget it, but I can't deny the evidence.  The most 
> recent is a study of former national team players in Norway, years after they
> quit the game.  Eight out of 10 had abnormalities in attention, concentration
> and memory.

It would be useful to know when this study was carried out and the time at
which the Norwegian National Team players were actively playing football.
Footballs 20+ years ago were very heavy particularly in wet weather when the
leather balls absorbed large amounts of water and players would have been
playing with such balls from a very early age and so at greater risk.  The
modern balls are much lighter,more waterproof  and safer.

> 	Meanwhile, heading is taught throughout youth soccer, from team 
> practices to the cover story in this month's Sports Illustrated for Kids.
> 	I have a radical suggestion: Until more studies are done, let's
> eliminate heading in youth soccer.

I believe the answer is to use different size and weight balls (with
corresponding goal and pitch size changes)for different age groups up to the
Under 15/16 age group at which stage the regulation size ball should be
introduced. This also improves the skill and technical ability of the
youngsters as they play under conditions in properratio to their size.
You cannot have proper football without heading, it is an integral
and valuable part of the game.


> 	Last week I tried it on Burt Haimes, president of the American Youth
> Federation.  He said, "If this is a serious risk, we certainly need to look
> at it.  Fax that report to me.  I'll make sure we discuss it here."
> 	I did.  Now it's time for parents and players to speak up.
> 	We can't afford this secret any longer.
> 
> 							Bill Laitner
> 
> 	Now ...I dont know about you all, but even though heading may be
> so-called 'dangerous' it would take alot out of soccer in my eyes.  Stupid ??
> maybe... what do you think of heading now that this information has come out..
> .  :);)  
> 	Hopefully this will be interesting...
> 	CYA!!!
> 
> 
> 
> +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
> |  Mike Monan (monan@caen.engin.umich.edu OR Michael.Monan@um.cc.umich.edu)  |
> |----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The World remains terrified at the possible affect N. American legislators may
have on the game of football.

Chris