Introverts Don’t do Headers

By: Laurie | December 26th, 2007

Tall players head the ball more often.

I know. You’re shocked.

But that was one of the findings in a study aimed at decreasing the brain impairment that can (possibly) come from repeatedly heading the ball.

You remember that study, right? The one that said players who do frequent headers don’t perform as well on cognitive tests? Or if you do a lot of headers, maybe you don’t. But there was a study a few years back that said just that.

(And I know we’re all picturing some of our favorite superstars and thinking, “Ah. Yes. That makes sense.”)

The original study inspired all kinds of follow-ups — everything from whether or not the first study was true (the jury’s still out) to whether or not headgear mitigates the effect. (Ditto.)

One thing researchers can tell you, though? Watch out if you’re an extrovert.

Seems that introverts are not just more likely to lean against the walls at parties and stammer when approached by members of the opposite sex. They’re less likely to head the ball than their extrovert brothers and sisters.

A team led by Frank Webbe, psychology professor at the Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne, administered two psychological tests to 60 teenage and adult male soccer players — one measuring personality traits such as extroversion, agreeableness and conscientiousness, the other sensation-seeking behavior. A group of 20 non-soccer-playing athletes with minimal experience in contact sports acted as a control.

Players more apt to head balls had higher levels of extroversion on the scales.

I guess the lesson here is: To maintain brain function, be shy.

Oh, and while we’re giving out health-related advice? You may want to avoid that true danger, falling goalposts.