Should kids stop heading the ball?

There are a few people that want a ban on kids heading the football. Ryan Mason is among those that think kids heading the ball repetitively isn't good for them at such an early age.

Ryan Mason was forced to retire in February 2018 after a severe head concussion in a Premier League game against Chelsea. He believes that kids heading a solid ball could potentially do damage to the brain and skull especially when they aren't fully developed yet.

The Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) have called for restrictions regarding kids heading the football with reference to the long-term health risks of heading.

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What is the problem with heading the ball?

One of the big arguments is that you can sustain a concussion. This happens when someone gets a significant bang on the head - so much that the brain is shaken and knocks against the inside of the skull.

This causes the nerves and structures in the brain to be altered. This can be serious and sometimes take days to recover from if they have a really bad bang to the head. It isn't always true that you have to be knocked out to have a concussion.

Do people actually agree with this?

The big issue here is that we don't actually know how heading the football impacts on someone's health.

The Football Association (FA) say that they are committed to researching and examining all areas of head injuries in the game, including long-term effects on players.

Headway is a charity that is trying to support brain injuries. They also believe that more research is needed. They know how easy it is to sustain an injury that can change your life. They think football has taken too long to get involved with research. Proper studies need to be funded to ensure the well-being and safety of players.

Other Countries?

The USA has already banned kids from heading the ball. The US Soccer Federation rule means that kids under 11 aren't allowed to head balls. There are limitations of players aged 11 to 13 doing headers.

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Conclusion

I think that the FA should take serious consideration of what is being said about kids heading the ball. The brains aren't fully developed as a child and it could be damaging heading a solid ball consistently.

If kids use the wrong technique such as heading the ball with the top of their head, then the pressure that they're putting on their brain is a lot more than what they would feel on their forehead. I think that the US law should be applied in the same principle in the UK.

Kids shouldn't be heading real balls and foam balls are just as good with kids still learning the proper technique without the long-term consequences.