Soccer/Equipment: Teach Heading with a Soccer Sock

Dick Moss, Editor

A soccer sock will provide your students with many repetitions of heading the ball. It's ideal for students who are afraid of using their head to make contact with any flying object.

How to Make
Soccer socks are easy to make. Just place a soccer ball or a soft playground ball (especially good for beginners) inside some pantyhose. Tie the other end of the stockings to an overhead support. Indoors, this could be a basketball rim, gymnastics rings, or climbing ropes; outdoors, a tree branch, football uprights or soccer net frame. Suspend the ball at approximately head height.

You can make the ball height adjustable by tying a rope to the end of the pantyhose, running it over the ceiling support or basketball rim, then tying it to a post, door knob, door handle or other stationary object. To raise the height of the ball, the rope can simply be pulled up, then tied down.

How to Use
Have your students push forward on the suspended ball, setting up a pendulum action. They then “head it” as it swings back towards them. With practice, they'll be able to bounce it off their head for many repetitions without using their hands.

You could also play “header ball,” in which two players head the ball back and forth to each other.

Other Ideas

Raise the height of the ball, so players must jump up to make contact.
Have players attempt to kick the elevated ball.

References
1. Kurt & Axel Brosi, Soccer Techniques and Tactics, Sklavos Printing Publications, 1976.
2. Mirsad Hasic, 44 Secrets for Playing Great Soccer, CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2013.
3. L.F. “Bud” Turner & Susan Lilliman Turner, P.E. Teacher's Skill-By-Skill Activities Program, Parker Publishing Company, 1989.

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