http://espn.go.com/espn/story/_/id/8046203/pop-warner-toughens-safety-measures-limiting-contact-practice

Thoughts? Do you think this is a step toward protecting kids in football?

I played for Pop Warner, and I think it is a bit of an overkill imo. These kids are too small (if you aren't familiar with pop warner rules, there is a weight limit for each age group) and not fast enough to do that much damage to each other. I think youth/pop warner football is the perfect time to teach kids the proper tackling techniques which hopefully would transfer to higher levels, as oppose to the big hits that NFL players go for.

Granted there are some idiotic drills that are completely unncessary (cat in the alley is one of them), but there are plenty of tackling drills that help teach proper form.

It's a great idea.

Not overkill in my opinion. It's not that they are not "fast enough" or "too small" to do any damage, it's the continuous repetition of a lot of the head-to-head contact. It's also about the under-developed skulls and brains that these kids have. Add all of that up and you have a recipe for disaster -- short-term and long-term.

While there may be plenty of tackling drills that help teach proper form, it's not like EVERY coach out there utilizes those drills. I think it's a good step in the right direction. If higher levels of football are taking the right precautions, no reason why the lower levels can't do the same.

You'll never learn how to hit or get hit in a game, if you don't practice it at practice.

It won't surprise me if there isn't an increase in injuries at this level because of this new limitation.

THE4RINGZ;1198269 wrote:You'll never learn how to hit or get hit in a game, if you don't practice it at practice.

It won't surprise me if there isn't an increase in injuries at this level because of this new limitation.

I agree with this. You have to LEARN how to hit and be hit.

Coaches who don't teach fundamentals of tackling, shouldn't be coaches.

like_that;1198137 wrote:

I played for Pop Warner, and I think it is a bit of an overkill imo. These kids are too small (if you aren't familiar with pop warner rules, there is a weight limit for each age group) and not fast enough to do that much damage to each other. I think youth/pop warner football is the perfect time to teach kids the proper tackling techniques which hopefully would transfer to higher levels, as oppose to the big hits that NFL players go for.

Granted there are some idiotic drills that are completely unncessary (cat in the alley is one of them), but there are plenty of tackling drills that help teach proper form.

Never played but from the articles I've read on CTE, I tend to agree with your analysis. A bit of overkill, and learning proper tackling technique is of the utmost importance in avoiding injury. I don't disagree with them taking a 'better safe than sorry' approach though.

just because you teach the younger kids how to tackle properly, do you think they are actually coordinated and disciplined enough yet to execute the proper form when tackling?

Not many towns in my area have youth or pop warner football. The two in the county that do still have very poor football programs. Football is a sport that is more position specific and you usually dont move around quite as much to ther spots like you do in baseball or basketball. I wonder if the youth and pop warner programs are really that effective. Do they slot kids too early into a position before they even grow into a body type?
I have seen some teams put the bigger kids at running back and they are very hard to stop. Then when they get to the higher levels they are still trying to play RB but are better suited for the line but because they were "stars" in youth football as a RB they stay at that position.

I am assuming it is just like anything else......you get out of it what you put in it. If you have poor coaches, of which I def could see happening, then you really dont get much good out of it. Most of the schools in our league dont start football until they are in 7th grade, and we clean up the state football trophies.

Glory Days;1198332 wrote:just because you teach the younger kids how to tackle properly, do you think they are actually coordinated and disciplined enough yet to execute the proper form when tackling?

I think football is a sport that can be learned at a later age. I don't think there is an advantage of starting early like there might be with soccer or baseball or basketball.

THE4RINGZ;1198269 wrote:You'll never learn how to hit or get hit in a game, if you don't practice it at practice.

It won't surprise me if there isn't an increase in injuries at this level because of this new limitation.

Agreed. When I played pee wee football/Optimist, we went one week without pads. As soon as we got pads, drills went from being light intensity to high intensity. These kids need to be taught properly on how to hit as well. No more of this bullshit shoulder tackles, wrap and drive the guy to the ground.

pnhasbeen;1198282 wrote:Coaches who don't teach fundamentals of tackling, shouldn't be coaches.

Then you'd essentially have to get rid of 95% of youth coaches in ALL sports. (My estimation and exaggeration.)

But seriously, most coaches don't do this. Most coaches don't know HOW to teach it. They may know about the fundamentals...but teaching it is completely different. But this is a good response to this argument:

Glory Days;1198332 wrote:just because you teach the younger kids how to tackle properly, do you think they are actually coordinated and disciplined enough yet to execute the proper form when tackling?

Agree 100%!

The other thing is...no one has said to do away with tackling or contact completely. They are JUST limiting it. You can still learn a lot of football while only allowing full-pads and full-contact on a limited basis. There is so much more to football than tackling. That is why many areas have went to flag football because you can still learn a lot of the important aspects of football -- and most importantly, youth sports -- with very limited contact. That most important aspect...healthy, active living while having fun.