Illinois youth soccer group bans hitting ball with head
Posted February 12, 2016 12:00 am
The group that governs 81,000 young soccer players in Illinois says it will no longer let athletes age 10 and younger use their heads to strike the ball.
Illinois Youth Soccer representatives say the change is meant to promote safety. The group made the announcement this week.
The Chicago Tribune reports that the change agrees with recommendations that U.S. Soccer made in November after it faced a lawsuit by parents who claimed the organization wasn't doing enough to protect children from concussions.
Illinois Youth Soccer guidelines will now say that a purposeful header by a player age 10 or young will mean the other team gets an indirect free kick. The group said it wanted to make the change before the spring season starts.
Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked.
If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.