SAFETY FIRST
The Latest on Concussion Prevention
Avoid Unsafe Weight Loss
Safety: Weight Vs. Age
Football is as Safe as Other Sports
Prevent Heat Illness
Practice and Training Safety in the Heat
Lightning Safety
Be Active for Good Health
NATIONAL ATHLETIC TRAINERS' ASSOCIATION (NATA) Good Practices for Youth Sports
NOTE TO COACHES: Failure to act in a safe and responsible manner with the children entrusted to you and under your care and supervision can mean big trouble for you, including but not limited to criminal charges for child endangerment.
- That means: Give kids enough re-hydration (water) breaks,
- Seek safety/shelter in the event of electrical storms,
- Allow breaks for kids to cool down and don't practice in extreme heat.
Concussion Prevention
This article was prepared for the use of all coaches and players. It is an exerpt form the Book Coaching Youth Football written by AYF President, Joe Galat. The Book and the accompanying Online Coaching Course will become available in 2010 from American Sport Education Programs. Heads up Football
Congratulations for your attention to preventing hydration and heat related health problems. This season we face a growing problem pertaining to head injuries. Television Broadcasters glorify violence in football. Defenseless players getting “decked” or “knocked into next week” are replayed over and over. Why does head to head spearing still exist? I believe it is due to poor coaching and tolerance. Good coaches must insist upon execution of fundamental techniques and player’s safety. We like the NFL have alerted the Referees of American Youth Footballs zero tolerance Policy.
To confront the issues of Head injuries we have prepared an excerpt from the AYF Coaching Football Course. Dr Michael C Meyers PhD, FACSM Montana State in his extensive injury research summary concludes. The injuries occurring most often are duringTackling and Blocking. There is no agreed upon age when instruction should commence in tackle football. Statistically the younger the player the fewer incidences of injuries occur. The earlier the player learns the proper techniques the better. Psychologists tell us an average child cannot judge the proper time and distance needed to cross the street safely until age eight. Good coaches accept the fact that instruction needs to be age appropriate, safe, and fun. Faster learning occurs when Coaches should employ “learning triggers” such as catch phrases, word cues, and imagery.
Balance for Players
Most of us fear falling to the ground backwards. This tear shaped “comfort zone” is the problem because the player will accept falling forward more often than falling backwards. When falling forward the head drops down or snaps back the opposite of a good balanced tackling position. The first catch phrases we usually hear as kids are READY – SET – GO! Jump up watch were your feet land (shoulder width apart – your ready)
Check your alignment (hips and feet square to the goal line -your set)
Push off your front foot (your knee rolls toward the ground – you go)
Imagine you’re a Sumo Wrestler (knees bent, chest out, and head up)
The head is always high (not down or back) in a straight line with the back. The best football players bend at the knees and keep their head up chest out back flat (no bend at the waist). When a great play is made, watch the enthusiastic players jump up and bump their chests or shoulders to congratulate each other. There is a lesson here. It does not hurt – it is fun! Their heads are up and safely high in the air
Think of the core of your body as a square block. The broadest surface of your body is shoulder to shoulder. When you set square to a ball carrier – he has to avoid you by making a wide cut. With your head up you can see the direction of his cut and “go”.
Leverage for players
A demonstration of leverage is a hammer pulling out a nail. The hammer claw is under the nail head, the back is straight providing a power angle that leverages the efficiency of the effort. Your back straight with knees bent gives you that lifting leverage under the ball carriers pads.
Proper Tackling Technique
If you are under your opponents pads with a good knee bend with your back straight and chest out you “Strike” your opponent “Hit on the raise”as you “Uncoil” with your closest knee rolling toward the ground (never stand up) Do not look for the ball carrier feel the pressure of the blocker as you bull rush him backwards or throw him off. Your “uncoil” or “strike” as you tackle will break a ball carriers momentum provided your bent knees extend as a short punch like a boxers jab. Don’t leave your feet by diving head first. The ideal position is to hit with your shoulder chest and “run through as your arms squeeze your opponent in a bear hug. You should imagine driving him backwards with your legs churning. When tackling a passer go from top down as your arms strip him of the ball. When his guide hand comes off the ball your hands should go up. Don’t leave your feet. If you are not the first one in on the tackle rip the ball loose.
Proper Blocking Technique
The same principals are involved in proper blocking techniques except the hands can not wrap around the opponents body. Imagine that Sumo Wrestler again.
Keep your hands inside the frame of your opponent’s body and use them and your steps to steer the defender back and away from the ball carrier or quarterback passing. Review these important phases. The broadcasters quote “those big lineman butt heads on every play” is not accurate. A good line man will use his hands to get under the opponents pads and break his momentum. Your span from shoulder to shoulder can keep your opponent away from the ball carrier or passer.
Imagine yourself as the bulldozer or front loader.
Young players should be taught the three phases of one on one blocking. First phase is the “Fit-follow through phase”. The defender allows you to fit (the proper position) into him by placing his hands behind his back. When the coach gives “go command” drive your hands up under the pads in a lifting action while keeping contact by using short power steps. The“Uncoil phase” Back up one step from your opponent when the coach gives you the “go command” step and “uncoil” your up leg, hit with your hands in a lifting action, follow up with back foot as you continue driving with short power steps. Keep the chest to chest position. Putting it all together from the stance fit follow through is the last teaching element. “Fire out phase” from the stance on the “go command” fire out aiming at the center of the defender with a punch of both hands as you uncoil with a lifting action and continue your follow through driving your opponent back maintaining contact.
Review of Blocking and Tackling Techniques
Set Square – With good balance head up, back straight, knees bent, uncoil, hit on the raise, with good leverage, drive through and keep your chest close to the defender. If the defender or ball carrier takes a side, continue to plow him to that side and backwards with short power steps. The defender cannot throw you off is there is no cavity between your bodies. Strive to keep the core of your body (block) covering opponent’s midsection. Keep your head up when you’re tackling and blocking. Play safe, play fair, and enjoy the great game of football.
Coaches Alert: You are not permitted to diagnose a head injury.
Any injury as a result of a blow to the head is serious. Players with symptoms of head aches, dilated pupils, nausea, or disorientation must receive the attention of a medical doctor immediately. A coach cannot put a player at risk by allowing him to continue playing after a head injury.
The Author, Joe Galat, President American Youth Football, has coached on the staffs off legends like NCAA’s Bo Schembechler, Carm Cozza, Bill Narduzzi and in the NFL along side Bill Walsh and John McVay (five superbowl rings). Mr Galat was also Head Football Coach and General Manager for the Montreal Alouettes and BC Lions in the Canadian Football league.
American Youth Football Urges Youth Against Unhealthy Weight Reduction
As a former Captain of my High School and University Wrestling Teams and as a former Wrestling Coach I know the weight reduction issue first hand. While the media and infomercial's proclaim any weight loss as healthy. The only sane approach to weight loss is to eat and drink less calories than you burn daily.
Your child may be asked to lose weight fast (during their growth years) for the single purpose of "making the weight to play". All sorts of dangerous methods are used to"sweat off the pounds".It is the opinion of most physicians that dehydration techniques are harmful to the health of athletes. Evidence of this can be found with the sport drink companies that make millions by offering to balance a body's electrolytes with their products.
While obesity is a national epidemic - the loss of fat occurs over an extended period of time by eating healthy meals and staying physically active. Fast weight loss through dehydration techniques drains the body, mind and spirit of growing youngsters. American Youth Football encourages young athletes to avoid sudden weight loss so they may develop to their full potential physically, mentally, and socially.
