Heading Competition: Two Teams at the Posts
Two teams, one at each post. A player rounds a cone and heads the ball thrown by the next teammate from the post, then goes in goal for the other team's turn.
- Age
- U13–Senior
- Players
- 6–14
- Duration
- 12 min
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Intensity
- Medium
- Area
- 20 × 40 m
- Type
- Integrated
- Approach
- Intermediate
- Format
- Waves
- Objectives
- Technical: Finishing
- Physical: Speed
- Concepts worked on
- Technical:Heading
- Tactical:Attacking the box
- Physical:Acceleration
Training diagram
Blue's turn: the first blue rounds the cone and heads the ball thrown by the next blue from the post. Then the header goes in goal and the red goalkeeper returns to the red post.
Legend
- Attacker
- Defender
- Pass
- Run without ball
- Shot
- Ball
- Cone
- Goal
A heading competition with a sprint. Each header comes after a short, intense run around a cone, so players have to adjust their steps to attack the ball. The server is the next teammate in the line and whoever has just headed goes in goal, so the turns alternate between the two teams without stopping.
Objective
Attack the ball and head at goal after a sprint, aiming down and towards the corners.
Organisation
- Penalty area with a full-size goal. A cone in the centre, about 14 m from the goal line, beyond the penalty spot.
- Two teams, each lined up at one post with the balls. One red player starts in goal.
How it works
- The first blue sprints from the blue post, rounds the cone and attacks the ball thrown by the next blue from the post. The header must be taken before the penalty spot.
- Goal = 1 point; a miss scores nothing.
- The blue who has just headed goes in goal. The red goalkeeper goes back to the red post.
- Now the first red sprints from the red post, rounds the cone and heads the ball thrown by the next red against the blue goalkeeper, then goes in goal.
- Turns keep alternating between the two teams. First team to 10 goals wins.
Coaching points
- Short steps before the jump to arrive balanced under the ball.
- Eyes open, neck firm, contact with the forehead.
- Head down towards the goal line and away from the goalkeeper.
Progressions
- The server plays a lofted pass with the foot from the post.
- Only goals in the bottom half of the goal count.
Regressions
- Soft underarm throw, without rounding the cone.
- Lighter ball for younger players.
Variations
- Diving headers count double.
Key principles
- Attack the ball.
- Head it down.
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