Heading Toward A Change: Shifts in Youth Soccer Safety Rules

By Avery Raimondo

When 11-year-olds take the field for a morning soccer game, refs aren’t just watching for fouls anymore; they’re also watching for head contact.

Youth soccer is changing, as many leagues now limit or ban heading for younger players to help protect their developing brains. Research shows that repeated heading can harm the front part of the brain and affect memory and learning. Data suggests these rules have helped lower youth soccer concussions by about 25%, according to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.

Many are split on the decision. Some think the rules keep kids safe, while others worry they might make it harder to learn proper technique when the age is right to head the ball. The debate shows how important it is to keep kids safe while still teaching them the game.

More than a decade after the United States Soccer Federation first banned heading for players under 10 and limited it for those ages 11 to 13, youth organizations across the country are reinforcing and updating those restrictions as research on concussions and long-term brain injury continues to grow.

The policy was originally introduced in 2015 as part of a broader effort to address rising concerns about sports-related head trauma. Recent national injury data suggests it may be making a difference.

A study comparing concussion reports from 2020 to 2023 with data from 2012 to 2015 found a 25.6% reduction in soccer-related concussions, indicating that limiting heading at younger ages could be helping reduce risk.

Still, not everyone agrees on how far the restrictions should go, or what they mean for the future of the sport.

From a medical standpoint, athletic trainers say the conversation starts with brain development.

“Youth brains are still developing…they’re not fully developed until around 18 to 25 years old,” said Sarah Cason, a certified collegiate athletic trainer at Flagler College. “Repeatedly heading the ball causes strain to the brain, and an undeveloped brain is more vulnerable to both minor and major impacts.”

Even when a player doesn’t suffer a diagnosed concussion, repetitive head impacts may still affect areas of the brain responsible for memory and learning. Research from Columbia University Irving Medical Center found that frequent soccer heading can damage the area where gray and white matter meet in the frontal lobe, which is a critical region for cognitive function.

Cason believes reducing exposure is key.

“Reducing exposure will ultimately reduce risk,” she said. “It’s important to limit heading at younger ages, but it’s also important to gradually introduce it and teach proper technique.”

Her larger concern, however, is awareness.

“Many concussions go undiagnosed in youth sports,” Cason said. “There often aren’t healthcare professionals at games, and parents and coaches may not know what symptoms to look for. Continuing to play while showing symptoms can cause more damage… especially to a brain that isn’t fully developed.”

For Flagler Women’s Soccer college athlete Keali Foster, the rule changes feel both necessary and complicated.

“I feel like it’s a bit of both,” Foster said. “It’s necessary to protect their heads since they’re not done developing. But it can hurt them in the long run if they’re not learning how to head the ball correctly.”

Heading has been a significant part of Foster’s playing style. Over the course of her career, she has suffered multiple concussions, specifically three during her college career alone. Her most recent concussion was almost career-ending.

“I had to go through brain exercises, get glasses because it caused an astigmatism, and take a lot of time off,” Foster said. “It took a lot of time for my brain to heal, and I am not even fully back now.”

Looking back, Foster believes learning proper technique helped her, but she agrees that an 11-year-old likely doesn’t need to be heading the ball at such a young age.

“The rule is a good thing,” Foster said. “But young athletes, especially girls, need to be taught proper technique for when the time comes.”

Foster also pointed to another concern: she believes that there are gender differences in how the game is taught.

“There’s sometimes a stigma around girls going aggressively into headers,” she said. “If they’re not taught properly, that can be very detrimental for when they do go to head the ball.”

The data support heightened concern for female athletes. Girls’ soccer ranks as the second leading sport for youth concussions, while boys’ soccer ranks ninth.

But not all players agree with the restrictions.

University of North Florida men’s soccer college athlete Tyler Prebenda believes the heading ban may be overprotective.

“I don’t feel like the heading ban is necessary,” Prebenda said. “Players need to be taught how to properly head the ball instead to prevent injury.”

He says he worries that limiting heading could negatively affect player development, especially for athletes hoping to compete at higher levels where heading is a necessary skill.

“It’s part of the game as a college athlete,” he said. “Limiting it when you’re younger could impact your development.”

Unlike Foster, Prebenda believes that long-term brain health is obviously important, but the severity hasn’t changed how he approaches the game.

While studies suggest that lower levels of heading may reduce the risk compared to frequent heading, researchers still emphasize that the risk varies from person to person. Factors such as genetics, playing style, and previous injuries all contribute to the risk.

For trainers like Cason, the solution lies in balance, having the ability to limit unnecessary exposure, improve and educate on technique and prioritize athlete health over competition.

“No one should continue participating if they’re showing signs of a concussion,” she said. “As difficult as that is, protecting brain health has to come first.”

As awareness of sports-related brain injuries continues to grow, from youth leagues to professional stadiums, soccer is changing alongside the science behind it.

The debate over heading at young ages highlights a broader shift in young athletes’ minds. Being able to move away from the idea of “I can play through it” mentality and towards long-term health and safety.

For some athletes, the restrictions feel like a loss of tradition. For others, it’s necessary for the safety of the next generation. But ultimately, as Cason said, being able to move forward with “educating parents and coaches on symptoms and red flags of changes to look for in their kids… would go a long way in preventing and protecting brain health.”

Either way, one thing is clear: the conversation around brain health in youth sports is no longer on the sidelines and is heading toward a change.