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Author: Kris Connolly Date: Category: Likes: 0 URL: https://www.skool.com/coachingacademy/heading-alternatives
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Kevin Middleton⭐🔥
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Kevin Middleton⭐🔥 • Aug 26Hi Kris…… I wrote something on Twitter about this recently. They can’t deal with these long balls now but we need to help them.Here is the thread I posted (some sessions in there to help as well)https://x.com/coach_kevin_m/status/1957510806238818641?t=xotNcjYLHWY6dE6VNOVKbw&s=19And another tweet I wrote about thishttps://x.com/coach_kevin_m/status/1954959465368936545?t=CMUSX3Al7IAFRax16wLXwA&s=19Let me know what you think!0Reply
Kevin Middleton⭐🔥
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Kevin Middleton⭐🔥 • Aug 26Hi Kris…… I wrote something on Twitter about this recently. They can’t deal with these long balls now but we need to help them.Here is the thread I posted (some sessions in there to help as well)https://x.com/coach_kevin_m/status/1957510806238818641?t=xotNcjYLHWY6dE6VNOVKbw&s=19And another tweet I wrote about thishttps://x.com/coach_kevin_m/status/1954959465368936545?t=CMUSX3Al7IAFRax16wLXwA&s=19Let me know what you think!0Reply
Kevin Middleton⭐🔥
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Kevin Middleton⭐🔥 • Aug 26Hi Kris…… I wrote something on Twitter about this recently. They can’t deal with these long balls now but we need to help them.Here is the thread I posted (some sessions in there to help as well)https://x.com/coach_kevin_m/status/1957510806238818641?t=xotNcjYLHWY6dE6VNOVKbw&s=19And another tweet I wrote about thishttps://x.com/coach_kevin_m/status/1954959465368936545?t=CMUSX3Al7IAFRax16wLXwA&s=19Let me know what you think!0Reply
Kris Connolly
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Kris Connolly • Aug 26I best download my Twitter again. Took a break to get away from the Isak noise! 😂I’ll do what I can for the lads though so will get it back for them! 😂1Reply
Kevin Middleton⭐🔥
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Kevin Middleton⭐🔥 • Aug 27@Kris Connolly Here’s the session I posted on there.and the Isak noise still hasn’t gone away yet 🤣0Reply
Ross Whitehead🔥
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Ross Whitehead🔥 • Aug 27@Kris Connolly Our team are in a similar situation. We don’t practice heading, but in our games the kids will (or will attempt to) head the ball. What happens in your games - do kids just duck out of the way?We are constantly telling our attackers to expect the defenders to miss the ball and start their run toward goal. Something as simple as throwing balls up into a high arc and getting the kids to try to control the ball out of the air might help them to judge the flight of the ball better?We … See more1Reply
Kevin Middleton⭐🔥
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Kevin Middleton⭐🔥 • Aug 27@Ross Whitehead Volleys and volleys 🤣2Reply
Ross Whitehead🔥
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Ross Whitehead🔥 • Aug 27@Kevin Middleton 😂0Reply
Chris Unruh
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Chris Unruh • Aug 28Wow there must be something in the air right now (besides our players going for the balls) because this was such a glaring issue our last two games as well it couldn’t be ignored these past few training sessions.The first session i just yelled at them the whole time and told them to be men and not be afraid, but the second session was much more structured.Several drills I did: I like the battle boxes theme coach Rory on YouTube does so I amended them to have the defender toss the ball up high in… See more1Reply
Chris Unruh
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Chris Unruh • Aug 28I think the heavy focus on building out of the back has reduced attempts of goalies even just booting it and players getting a chance to practice those touches. I think that because the field sizes have shrunk at smaller ages the ball is played so much more on the ground these days at younger ages vs when I was young and we were 8 years old playing on full size fields. Inevitably there were kids that just long booted it then, and the goalie did too, so you got your touches in starting at a young… See more1Reply
Kevin Middleton⭐🔥
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Kevin Middleton⭐🔥 • Aug 28@Chris Unruh I think you’ve hit the nail on the head and that’s a really insightful analysis on how the modern game has evolved at youth levels.The smaller fields/build-out rule connection makes perfect sense, we’ve essentially removed the “accidental” aerial ball training that used to happen naturally. It’s similar to how kids used to get better at headers just from goal kicks and street games that are less common now.For your players, I’m guessing that the foundation is there from all their ot… See more1Reply
Chris Unruh
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Chris Unruh • Aug 28Thanks for the detail. Here’s another quirk. Grassroots soccer is undergoing a major change nationwide next year starting at U8-U10 and getting phased by the age until 13 over next few years. My team is last to avoid changes but they will be eliminating throw ins actually to “keep the flow” but I suspect it’s going to get even worse for those younger ages in the future if it isn’t focused on at practice.1Reply
Kevin Middleton⭐🔥
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Kevin Middleton⭐🔥 • Aug 28@Chris Unruh we do kick ins until the last year of 7s in Scotland…. But I used to get the kids to practice them earlySo your kids won’t do throws till they are 13?0Reply
Chris Unruh
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Chris Unruh • Aug 28@Kevin Middleton that’s correct. My current 11s will Continue as is but any kid currently 10 or younger will never do throw ins til 13.1Reply
Chris Unruh
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Chris Unruh • Aug 28I think their wisdom is most can’t do it right or get taught right. And 13s will pick it up faster when they get to that point0Reply
Kevin Middleton⭐🔥
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Kevin Middleton⭐🔥 • Aug 28@Chris Unruh makes sense. I would think that the more they practice it, the better they will get1Reply
Kris Connolly
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Kris Connolly • Sep 1Loving the conversation this has sparked.Little update from me after that session. Wednesday we did the session Kevin supplied and it was bloody brilliant.We went into a game at our new home pitches, 8 year project and 500k spent and won 2-1 against a team in a higher division which after 4 years of being not able to beat them, smashed it.But what I noticed was players coming to meet the ball numerous times from GK’s kicks, even getting the volleys going and clearing it or bringing it down. It w… See more3Reply
Kevin Middleton⭐🔥
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Kevin Middleton⭐🔥 • Sep 1@Kris Connolly Great news Kris! Sounds like the coaches have instilled confidence into the players, so well done.The new home pitch must be unreal at 500k! Hope you got some fancy dugouts to sit in1Reply