According to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association, youth participation in tackle football has declined nearly 20 percent since 2009, a fall that likely stems from the long-term health consequences many retired professional football players now live with. This includes memory problems from head injuries and concussions that were sustained on the field, as well as the degenerative brain disease CTE. Aside from this, there’s the physical nature of the game that has parents hesitant to sign their young children up.
Changes for Youth Football Safety
The good news is that the game – at the youth level – is changing to be much safer. No, the dangers of football aren’t going away, but coaches and leagues are adapting to enable safer play. Here’s a look at some examples how:
- Flex football: To help children make a safer transition to tackle football at higher levels of play, some communities have introduced flex football leagues. In such leagues, players wear helmets, a chest protector and a mouth guard. There’s blocking, but tackles are made by pulling a Velcro flag attached to the ball carrier’s waistline. The league is primarily instructional, and designed to teach children the fundamentals of the game before graduating to a more physical style. Other communities have introduced modified tackle leagues.
- Safety-certified coaches: Another way youth football is safer is the game is being taught better. Many coaches are now certified after receiving training in football safety. They’re taught how to recognize potential concussions and the proper responses to take. They’re also taught how to properly fit players with the right equipment. Finally, certified coaches are advised to restrict the contact that takes places in practice to avoid unnecessary head injuries. Having a coach that’s well educated on how to play the game safely can greatly ease the level of concern among parents.
- Changes to practice drills: For example, the Northern Vermont Youth Football League no longer allows “old-school” training drills, such as “bull in the ring,” in which one player runs inside a circle of teammates, while one or more players rush in and try to tackle him or her.
These are important steps, but they need to keep working on this to make it safer.
Related Post:
_________
From the achildgrows.com writers pool
Photo by Ben Hershey