This article was initially published in the 10/29/26 edition of our Concussion Update newsletter; please consider subscribing.
Based on their study of heading in girls' and women's soccer, researchers Kerry Peek et al. are calling for targeted resources to support heading skill development. Published in the International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, the study investigated the perspectives and experiences of women's and girls' soccer players and coaches in Australia through an online survey and follow-up interviews. The researchers found that heading training was lacking for both players and coaches, and that perspectives differed on when and how to introduce heading. Importantly, players who had not been coached on heading technique were more likely to report fear and pain with heading, and were also more likely to report concussion. Ultimately, the researchers conclude that "Football organizations should prioritize gender-responsive strategies to improve coaching practices and player confidence in heading."
[In the US, heading is prohibited until the age of 11 and limited in practice until the age of 13 based on concerns about concussions and repetitive head impacts. Concussion Alliance notes that research has shown that heading can affect brain health.]
As part of the study, 211 players and 45 coaches completed the survey, and 17 players and 12 coaches completed interviews. Lack of heading training was reflected in the survey results. For players, 80% reported performing at least one header per week, but only 50% reported receiving formal heading training. For coaches, 49% reported teaching heading technique, but only 29% reported receiving formal training on how to coach heading. Limitations of this study include the fact that it included only players and coaches from within Australia, and that participants tended to have a high socio-economic status, which may have skewed their perspectives. The researchers note that future studies might compare the experiences of men and women with heading.
