🏈 Did you guys catch this commercial last night? I was glad to see it...

[TerryP]

In our many discussions about flags on hits—see Aaron Murray in the SECCG—which eventually led to discussions about injuries, which in turn led to discussions about improper technique being taught by coaches at very young ages seeing a commercial for this website was refreshing and encouraging.

The web addy is usafootball.com

The name of the organization is "Heads Up football." And yes, if you are following my train of thought here, it means exactly that.

This group offers training and certifications for youth football coaches teaching them how to proper teach kids how to tackle: emphasis on head up at contact.

Tom Coughlin: Only allow your child to play when you know that USA Football certification is there for the coach and you know that your child is being taught the proper fundamentals of the game and that real intelligence has gone into the preparation of practices.

For you football guys like me...it's worth spending a little time looking over the site. Coaches!! Take note!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMFGk926Cj0

 

[UAgrad93]

I caught it last night. I have already told my son that he won't play at the park as long as guys that don't have a clue are allowed to coach. To me, seventh grade is plenty early for these kids to get a taste of football.

 

[TerryP]

I caught it last night. I have already told my son that he won't play at the park as long as guys that don't have a clue are allowed to coach. To me, seventh grade is plenty early for these kids to get a taste of football.

Good for you.

The thought crosses my mind that the Parks and Recreation Associations should make this type of teaching mandatory for all the coaches. Heck, if need by, requiring re-certification each and every year.

I can guarantee you won't find a coach in the Jr. High or High School levels of play that would object to these simple fundamentals being taught. And, I'll also state I'd bet we'd see a dramatic downturn in injuries like concussions and neck trauma.

 

[UAgrad93]

I passed the website on to our Park and Rec director here, and his response was simply "I'll take a look". At my first coaching stop, the staff actually held a little clinic for our rec league coaches. In it, we tried to give them different drills, proper techniques, etc. in an attempt to better prepare the kids. Some of these guys got offended and we never did it again.

 

[TerryP]

I passed the website on to our Park and Rec director here, and his response was simply "I'll take a look". At my first coaching stop, the staff actually held a little clinic for our rec league coaches. In it, we tried to give them different drills, proper techniques, etc. in an attempt to better prepare the kids. Some of these guys got offended and we never did it again.

I don't know how easy it is to get guys to coach kids of different ages so this comment may be out of place.

Screw 'em.

If they got offended at something being taught which in the end only goes to improve the safety of the game their heart isn't in the right place to start.

 

[bamaledge]

I caught it last night. I have already told my son that he won't play at the park as long as guys that don't have a clue are allowed to coach. To me, seventh grade is plenty early for these kids to get a taste of football.

I want to share something with you guys. My son started playing football in the fourth grade here in our town of Grand Ledge MI. This town is as crazy about football as we are in Alabama. Looking back I don't think it was a good idea to let him play that early and I'm sure none of the coaches have been certified, I just thank God that no kid has been seriously injured. Kody is now about to graduate from high school having never played a down. He went out for 9th grade football and seriously sprained his ankle on the first day of practice. I really wanted my son to be the next Cornelius Bennet and pushed him to play through the pain. I would drop him off and then come back and pick him up not knowing how bad it hurt and that he didn't practice much. A couple weeks went by for spring practice and I stayed one day and watched him practice after his ankle was somewhat better and I noticed that he was one of the boy's holding the pads for others to hit. I asked the coach about switching out. Interject here: Now I'm not one of those parents who think their kid is the best thing since sliced bread but Kody is a darn good second string and/or reliever. End interjection. Since the first week of practice and the sprained ankle incident the coach , who is a freakin' math teacher, said that my son's work ethic just wasn't there and that he would never see the field. My son, who from the fourth grade to the 9th played on the same team that only lost 2 games in about 40 would, never see the field. Since that day my son fell in love with the behind the scenes work with the school plays and became THE stage manager for all of the high school plays and the teachers that produced the plays told me that he is the hardest working kid that they have seen in years. What I'm trying to say is that I also think that the 7th grade is probably the best time to start a kid and that it's not the end of the world if he loves Alabama football as much or more than I do but just doesn't want to play football. I have seen too many kids get burned out on football by the time they reach the 9th grade and don't want to play any more. Any way thanks for reading.