<p>There is always resistance when new safety equipment is introduced into a sport. The prime example is the use of helmets in pro hockey (the last grandfathered non-helmet wearer is retired now). There will always be early adopters who want any hope of increased safety no matter how little proof there is, and others who will resist it no matter how much proof there is, just because they don’t like wearing it. In my opinion, and from watching my daughter play soccer, it’s likely that some kind of headgear would enhance the safety of soccer. I’m not convinced that the headband is it, though, until there is more evidence. If the evidence becomes clear, then youth soccer in the U.S. will require it, just as they require batting helmets for baseball players.</p>
<p>The main difference with soccer and Basketball when it comes to headgear, is that your head is used in these 2 sports. Not really an issue in hockey. Wearing headgear in soccer will change to way the game is played. It will change the agility of the game. Just like in basketball. It is played with eye contact, head movement, 180+ degree vision, etc… Those who use sports glasses and shields say that even though they need them to see, it does affect their game. Any type of head gear in basketball would in fact change the game. There are a lot of sports that headgear doesn’t change the tempo or way the game is played. Some sports it would.</p>
<p>The biggest problem with children who play soccer is that no one ever taught them how to play the game. All they taught them was to run after the ball and kick it. It’s rare to see young kids practicing sliding, falling, diving, head jumping, etc… That’s why most pre-high school soccer leagues don’t allow slide tackles or diving. Too many injuries. However, if you get to the level where you learn HOW to properly play the game, you discover how safe the game actually can be. Watch pro teams sometime. You can see the respect for each other the players have and the skills they have.</p>
<p>pafather,</p>
<p>Perhaps you will find these links and quotes more convincing:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-03/uhh-hdi032808.php[/url]”>http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-03/uhh-hdi032808.php</a></p>
<p>“However, conclusive statements on the level of danger are not yet possible. Whether professional boxers such as Muhammad Ali contracted their later brain conditions in his case Parkinsons disease at the age of 40 from boxing, remains unclear. The all-clear cannot be given until more extensive studies of both amateur and professional boxers tell us more about the risks for the brain from boxing.”</p>
<p><a href=“Traumatic Brain Injury / Concussion | Concussion | Traumatic Brain Injury | CDC Injury Center”>Traumatic Brain Injury / Concussion | Concussion | Traumatic Brain Injury | CDC Injury Center;
<p>“But that is never going to happen. because it would affect the game too much. I was only pointing out that based on scientific and engineerirng principles, properly heading a soccer ball does not contribute in any appreciable way toward concussion. You are spreading false info.”
quote by pafather.</p>
<p>I am not spreading false information. The question of the safety and effects of heading have been under discussion and study in multiple countries for years.</p>
<p>One problem is your statement “properly heading the ball.” Balls are frequently not headed properly. Even if they are, there is no evidence a developing brain or any brain isn’t injured.</p>
<p>"Soccer (and basketball, for that matter) would probably be even safer if all players wore football helmets, shoulder pads, etc. But that is never going to happen. because it would affect the game too much."pafather quote</p>
<p>Change is difficult. It will only effect the game too much until the alternatives are acknowledged.</p>
<p>My experience with soccer is more than 30 years.
I am not spreading false information. I am giving you accurate information. If you choose to believe me is your decision.</p>
<p>RE: soccer headgear - has been available around here - haven’t seen any HS players wear it. Mostly by hot shot players on youth teams - 10 yr olds. The older players know that the girl with headgead is gonna head the ball and they target her.<br>
FWIW (not much) I am sort of on Barneyfife’s side here. My d played soccer since Kindergarten - when she was young they were not allowed to head the ball. Not until about 6th grade. My recollection was that until about 12 yrs old young players should not be heading the ball since they are still developing (brainwise and athletic wise) and that repeated incorrect heads to the ball can cause tiny concussions that add up over time.
I think the soccer headgear was developed so that youngsters can head the ball at an earlier age - dangerous indeed - and gives their parents false security.
The only place I can see for the soccer headgear might be in a practice/drill situation in teaching how to properly head the ball - with 11-12 year olds. IMO young kids should not be heading the ball, with or without head gear</p>
<p>The most gruesome soccer injury I saw was years ago. My brother was the keeper and he took out the forward going for the ball - they collided into the goal post and the result was a compound fracture of the forwards lower leg. Nasty.</p>
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<p>Brain is still being developed through about age 25. That’s why concussions are treated differently with high school athletes than with professional athletes.</p>
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<p>So are there soccer helmets that protect against balls that are not headed properly? The few I found when I googled show headbands that only help if the ball is headed correctly.</p>
<p>Anecdotal evidence from around hear shows the popularity of an athletic endeavor starts dying off as soon as mandatory safety equipment is required. The law requiring helmets and pads for roller blading pretty much killed off street roller blading for kids. It just took too long to suit up to skate once around the block. The popularity of razor scooters was on a steep uphill climb right up until the day the state law passed requiring kids to wear helmets. I wouldn’t be surprised if a law requiring helmets in soccer would kill off the recreational 12 and over leagues. And for some safety enthusiasts that would be fine.</p>
<p>“Anecdotal evidence from around hear shows the popularity of an athletic endeavor starts dying off as soon as mandatory safety equipment is required”</p>
<p>Totally untrue, unless you are in an area that is poor or unsupervised by parents. OR STUPID.
We haven’t really defined an age range for this topic.</p>
<p>The other subject that is being DISCUSSED in soccer circles is to remove heading from the game. That does not require equipment.</p>
<p>To all you naysayers, note Hop_Scout’s comment about the brain being undeveloped until 25.</p>
<p>However, brain injuries can occur after the brain is fully developed, and frequently do not heal to the point where one can function independently in society.</p>
<p>“The other subject that is being DISCUSSED in soccer circles is to remove heading from the game. That does not require equipment.”</p>
<p>josie, when pigs fly… Sorry my dearheart, you are confusing a few people for the ruling body for soccer FIFA. No one at FIFA is anywhere near talking about banning heading from the game. Please provide some proof of these statements you are making and PLEASE make them from some ruling national body, not some small parent dominated league. You are trying so hard to give credibility to such a small portion of people who are claiming the sky is falling. </p>
<p>You claim 30 years experience in the game. Is that as an active player?
Can you tell me anything about law 4? 
</p>
<p>The ability to strike the ball with your head is an important part of the game. Some people make tens of millions of dollars for the ability to use their head to make contact with the ball. Most of the game’s set pieces (corners and free kicks) involve the use of the head to strike the ball or defensively to clear the ball. World cups have been won and lost based on the ability to frame the goal with a players head. Nobody in the serious side of the game is going to ban heading. sorry you are just incorrect. </p>
<p>If you’ve truly been involved in the game for 30 years you’d know this.</p>
<p>christcorp,</p>
<p>Usually the ban on slide tackles is reserved for coed adult over 30 leagues and the regular over 40 and 48 leagues. In youth there isn’t a ban on the slide tackle pre HS. The biggest differences in the youth game involve using an age appropriate size ball (3 & 4, size 5 is reg), age appropriate shin guards, the number of players on the field, the size of the field and the duration of the game. </p>
<p>Sometimes I would be asked if slide tackling was allowed by a young player…“because my coach/mom/dad said it wasn’t” to which I’d reply “no it’s allowed, you just have to do it right.” </p>
<p>(to all)</p>
<p>Soccer is such a newly popular sport that many youth coaches (bless their hearts) and parents really never bother to take the time to learn the laws of the game. Every year FIFA releases some changes or adjustments in the laws that filter down through USSF (United States Soccer Federation) and sometime end up in the NFHS (National Federation of High Schools) law books. (you can throw in CYSO a different separate group (ie lutherans v. methodists? ) that does their own thing. CYSO I think used to represent around 5% of all soccer playing youth.) </p>
<p>At all of these websites it is easy for a parent or coach to learn more about the laws of the game, the issues before each body and what their actions are. The USSF site has a great part called “ask a referee” where answers to alot of questions are presented.</p>
<p>Barney, et al, we are discussing youth and college soccer. This is a youth website.</p>
<p>Barney, you are mentioning million dollar sums, so your references must be different than the information required by a parent.</p>
<p>You are speaking as a ref. I am speaking as a parent and player, suggesting safety information,
for which I’ve provided documentation. As all have acknowledged, there are no definitive findings, but there is enough evidence to discuss and consider the possibilities that permanent head injuries can occur.</p>
<p>I am sure my medical credentials far surpass yours and your son you say is in med school.</p>
<p>While I am used to people speaking to me in a professional capacity about testicles, calling me endearments, and other socially crude formalities,
I am not interested in hearing them from you.</p>
<p>Barney; our city league does not allow slide tackles except in the 16-18 y/o bracket. All others aren’t allowed. The 1st time by a player is just a free kick for the other team. 2nd time is a yellow. 3rd is a red. That’s just the way they do it. But that’s a city league. They can make rules anyway they want.</p>
<p>If U.S. youth leagues are told by their insurers to ban heading, they will do it, no matter what FIFA has to say about it. Ditto for protective headgear. A few hight-cost injuries will cause the insurers to do the research, too.</p>
<p>“If U.S. youth leagues are told by their insurers to ban heading, they will do it, no matter what FIFA has to say about it. Ditto for protective headgear. A few hight-cost injuries will cause the insurers to do the research, too.”</p>
<p>Actually hunt, that still won’t happen. Youth leagues don’t have alot of money and most have established waivers when you sign on that you realize that injuries are part of the game. Most also have rules that remove a player from any sanctioned form of play if they are in the middle of a lawsuit with the association. There simply is not enough proof that heading a soccer ball, will cause permanent damage if done correctly. There is not “certain” statistical proof that injury will occur. </p>
<p>Where you might see it is the NFHS (nat fed of hs) as school districts have much deeper pockets. But American Football in hs would go before that. </p>
<p>When I ref, I am covered by an insurance policy protecting me from being sued for injuries incurred by players during the match provided I … inspect the field and goals ( I have cancelled games before for bad fields) inspect players (NFHS requires coaches to inspect, if player is injured or causes injury with illegal gear, coach is responsible. We just ask “coach are all your players wearing legal equipment”) </p>
<p>We can always guess that something could happen, but it is very, very doubtful. Soccer is one sport where the US doesn’t call the shots, we follow. They are very successful without us, and while they would miss us (our money) they would continue on. </p>
<p>As the old international saying goes… “the new york giants are world champions… wasn’t it amazing how they climbed up through their pool and then beat England, Brazil and Ireland in the final.” ;)</p>
<p>"our city league does not allow slide tackles " interesting. Do you know if your league is CYSO or USSF affilated or a parks league? </p>
<p>Leagues can modify rules, but I would think that it would put your players at a great disadvantage holding off to HS age. In fact I would venture, since it’s a skill that needs to be developed waiting until hs age to learn it would increase the risk of injury to both the person tackling and the tackled person. </p>
<p>With all sports the early years are the teaching and playing years. You teach and develope skills and let kids play without too much regard to wins. At pre HS age you start to introduce tactics and move towards the mental part of the game. More repetition in youth early years to get skills down. Later years more introduction to tactical play as technical play should be down pat.</p>
<p>“This is a youth website.”</p>
<p>No this is a college website. Young adults, not small children. </p>
<p>“Barney, you are mentioning million dollar sums, so your references must be different than the information required by a parent.”</p>
<p>No, not at all. Every parent should know when their children should be developing certain techinical skills to play a sport. The best way to avoid injury is through proper instruction. Proper instruction can begin as early as age 3. Absolute no different in concept than teaching a child to read… start small and move up. </p>
<p>“You are speaking as a ref. I am speaking as a parent and player, suggesting safety information,”</p>
<p>I am/was a player, a coach, a league administrator, a youth ref, a adult ref, a HS ref and I too a parent of a child who played from age 5 to today. I’ve been coached and coached coaches. </p>
<p>“As all have acknowledged, there are no definitive findings, but there is enough evidence to discuss and consider the possibilities that permanent head injuries can occur.”</p>
<p>There is a probability that a meteor can fall from the sky and kill you. Should we ban above ground living? </p>
<p>“I am sure my medical credentials far surpass yours and your son you say is in med school.”</p>
<p>But your lack experience in the game your calling for a ban of a particular aspect of play of is what we are butting “heads” about. </p>
<p>“your son you “say” is in med school.” As for this part, I’ll pass on a response. It’s a sad attempt to bait me into some sort of nonsense, I’d rather not play. I’ll just ask if you feel proud of this statement? Does calling me a lair about my son being in med school make you feel better? </p>
<p>“calling me endearments, and other socially crude formalities,”</p>
<p>I apologize if “dearheart” is upsetting to you. I also call my daughter by the same enderment. I did not realize or intend for it to be any sort of insult, but rather a friendly acknowledgement of a slight frustration. No anger or insult was ever intended. I apologize if you feel slighted, up until this momment I “thought” we were having a somewhat friendly dialog. In the future, please use the ignore switch on your profile if what I post disturbs you in any way. I would rather you not read my posts then to get angered enough to call me a liar about my kid being in med school. Thanks.</p>
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<p>FYI, so you know for next time… Many women do actually take offense to these sorts of endearments. A lot of women feel that when they’re having an intellectual dialogue and someone calls them a term of endearment, that they’re being dismissed as though they were a child, and as though they didn’t have an important opinion, even if it’s not the way that you meant it.</p>
<p>Anyhow, that’s neither here nor there… Just kind of a PSA. Carry on the debate about whether it’s wise to clock your braincases against rigidly-inflated leather things.</p>
<p>Is it ok if I still call my Ma… “Ma” ;)</p>
<p>Can my kids still call me in their best irish voices “Da” ? :)</p>
<p>I truly am sorry. I do get what you mean. But I also understand some “folks” (there I go again) have trouble when someone says “have a nice day”. I’ve heard everything from “don’t tell me what to do” to “what do you mean by that?” </p>
<p>I guess you can’t take the farm out of the boy. </p>
<p>I also use the name “spud” and sometimes “tater”… </p>
<p>Could it be more the frustration of the arguement, rather than the term of endearment? I mean I coulda gone with “Dude”. </p>
<p>I am sorry, I guess I am placing too much silly into this post. It’s that kind of day. </p>
<p>The boy’s in New Orleans playing rugby tomorrow (his safety equipment there a mouthpiece and vasoline for the forehead and ears. Makes the ears taste bad, so they opponent won’t chew them off. ;)) and I am jealous that he gets to live the life of Riley and gets to enjoy a great sport.</p>
<p>I thought that “dearheart” was condescending. Calling an adult woman by the same pet name you call your daughter is rude, IMHO.</p>
<p>“I thought that “dearheart” was condescending. Calling an adult woman by the same pet name you call your daughter is rude, IMHO.”</p>
<p>Well, I guess I had you fooled then no? Is this post going to sidebar now for awhile onto what is a term of endearment and what isn’t? </p>
<p>is "Ya’ll " an OK expression or are we too advanced these days. I guess it kinda depends on where ya’ll are from don’t it? </p>
<p>anytime yall wanta get back to the subject, I reckon I’m good with that. ;)</p>
<p>Mr. Fife: you choose to misunderstand me. It is never appropriate to address a stranger or polite acquaintance (and on-line acquaintances are not intimates, or you’d know their true names) by an endearment.</p>
<p>At CC, there is no tradition of sticking to the subject at hand, I assure you.</p>