Longtime Ohio youth league embraces Heads Up Football
Wed, 06/11/2014 - 9:30am
Change is rarely met with open arms, even in youth football.
When Rich Egleston, referee commissioner for the All Ohio Youth Football Association, first mentioned the league becoming a part of Heads Up Football, he faced some resistance. Just ask any football coach, at any level, and (most) of them will tell you they already know everything they need to know,” Egleston said.
However, change is something this league has become familiar with during its more than 40 years of existence. The league was founded in the early 1970s under the name Wadsworth Youth Football League. However, after the Suburban Youth Football Association merged with Wadsworth in 2010, the league changed its name to the All Ohio Youth Football Association. In 2013, the league has about 1,200 players – all part of Heads Up Football.
Soon after Egleston’s original discussion with league coaches, an open dialogue formed to find a more credible way to certify newer coaches within the league.
Enter Heads Up Football.
Nearly 2,800 youth leagues signed up for Heads Up Football last year, and 35 high schools across the country piloted the program at that level, taking a comprehensive approach to educating their parents, players, and coaches on proper equipment fitting, concussion awareness, heat and hydration preparedness and Heads Up Tackling techniques.
Egleston, who was a USA Football member prior to leaguewide affiliation, is impressed with the program and what USA Football is doing.“USA Football took all these ideas and all this information, and they put it together and they legitimized it into something that is teachable, defensible, repeatable and documentable,” Egleston said. “Really, it’s to our benefit to adopt this and talk about the terminology and the things that USA Football does … in front of kids, in front of coaches, in front of media and in front of whoever is listening.
”It’s no secret that fewer kids are playing youth football, and while Egleston says his club has not seen a reduction in numbers, the league has.“Less kids are playing,” Egleston said. “They’re choosing to play other sports or choosing to not play at all. I’m aware these are national trends … but I think parents that are legitimately interested in the pros and cons of their (sons and daughters) playing youth football, and (they) want to educate themselves.”
A common misconception about Heads Up Football is that it’s focused solely on tackling and concussions. Educating coaches and parents about properly fitted equipment is just as important, Egleston said.
“When you’re 10, 11 or 12 years old, a pair of shoulder pads and a football helmet aren’t the most comfortable things you’re going to wear in your life,” he said. “It’s not like jumping in your warm bed. There’s a little bit of training and education that needs to go on with the kids and the parents to let them know, ‘Hey, those shoulder pads are going to feel a little bit heavy, and they may be a little bit tight and restrictive the first couple times you wear them. That helmet may feel a little bit snug, but you can’t have it flopping around like a bobble-head either."
”As the league moves into its second season with Heads Up Football, Egleston said he feels the organization is headed in the right direction.“We’re proud of our little league, and we feel like we’re doing the right thing.
As painful as change may be, I feel like we’re doing the right thing, not only for the longevity of the game, but the kids and all the participants that compete against one another in the league.”
Bradley Stringfield Heads Up Football Heads Up Football Success Stories -
See more at: www.usafootball.com
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