Heading
Transition Defensive Heading Clear
Clear the ball with height, distance and width
Heading
Defending
Set Pieces
Transition Defensive Heading Clear is a 12-minute heading drill for 3-14 players, suitable for Under 12 to Adults at beginner, intermediate, advanced level. You need balls, cones. Below you will find the objective, the set-up, how to run it, coaching points, common mistakes, progressions, regressions and variations.
Back to drill libraryHeading
Defending
Set Pieces
Technical Practice
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Full Squad
Minimal Equipment
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Heading Guidance
Transition
Duration
12 min
Players
3-14
Pitch size
32 x 26 yards
Ability levels
Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
Pitch diagram
Transition Defensive Heading Clear — Marked area · 32 x 26 yards
Step 1 of 5Server throws the ball into the zone for the defender to clear.
- 1. Server throws the ball into the zone for the defender to clear.
- 2. The defender heads for height and distance towards a wide target cone.
- 3. Limit each player to a small number of headers per session.
- 4. Coach serves a loose ball into the middle and both teams react to win it.
- 5. On every turnover the winning team has six seconds to attack the opposite target.
- Cones mark the area
- Dashed lines = zones / thirds
- Ball
- C = coach / server
- Solid arrow = pass, thick = shot, dashed = run / dribble
Objectives
- -Clear the ball with height, distance and width
- -Attack the ball rather than waiting for it
- -Follow age-appropriate heading guidance on volume
Setup
- 1A defensive zone in front of goal with a serving cone 12 yards away in a 32 x 26 yards area.
- 2Mark a second target area at the opposite end so the practice can flip direction instantly.
- 3Soft, correctly inflated balls only — keep total headers low.
Coaching instructions
- 1Server throws the ball into the zone for the defender to clear.
- 2The defender heads for height and distance towards a wide target cone.
- 3Limit each player to a small number of headers per session.
- 4Coach serves a loose ball into the middle and both teams react to win it.
- 5On every turnover the winning team has six seconds to attack the opposite target.
Coaching points
- -Attack the ball with the forehead
- -Head through the bottom half for height
- -Eyes open on contact
- -First reaction after the turnover decides the moment — forward or secure
Common mistakes
- -Backing away from the ball
- -Too many repetitions in one session
- -Stopping to appeal instead of reacting to the turnover
Where this drill fits
- More football heading drills
- More football defending drills
- More football set pieces drills
- football drills for U12s
- football drills for U14s
- football drills for U16s
- Football session plans built around this theme