Is face tackling legal?

[ajmc]

In all 3 variations of "Illegal Helmet Contact", the key verbiage is, "initiates contact" with the front, or top, of the helmet. It's not rocket science, when these rules were created it was in response to an increase is very serious injuries to TACKLERS who were using their heads improperly.

The value of the rule is not measured by how many players are caught violating the rule, but in how effectively coaches teach players to avoid using the head improperly when making a tackle. Someone teaching aiming the head at center of mass to make a tackle, but simply relying on cautioning them to avoid making the initial contact with the head or face, is like handing a child a loaded gun, and cautioning them to be very careful.

When the gun goes off, hiding behind a vague note of caution, doesn't provide very much cover. It won't work well when a player winds up in a wheelchair either. Coaching is teaching and in some respects there is significant responsibility and liability related to not only what is taught, but what is learned as well.

When these rules were presented, the problem was considered serious enough to suggest a warning that if the problem didn't reduce sufficiently in the first two years, serious consideration would be given to an alternate suggestion of removing face masks from all helmets as a way of deterring use of the head as a weapon.

[mikesears]

What is the proper technique for tackling?

[ajmc]

Originally Posted by mikesears

What is the proper technique for tackling?

NFHS: 2-42 covers it pretty well, "Tackling is the use of hands, arms, legs or body by a defensive player in his attemptto hold a runner or bring hime to the ground.

NFHS: 2-20, "Illegal Helmet contact" expands on that to prohibit using the fron, or top, of the helmet as part of the process.

[Tom.OH]

Originally Posted by Youth Coach

..I was with our youth football league president and commissioner and were interviewing a first time potential youth coach for 7-8 year old kids.

I asked him how he plans on teaching tackling. His response was that he was going to teach them to put their face right between their numbers.

My guess is the prospective coach is an older guy like me, and that is how I was taught when I played (graduated high school in 1973) football. Some people just do not know rules are being updated for safety reasons.

[bigjohn]

We have found that eyes on the chest is the most likely way to get kids to keep their heads up and eyes open. When the eyes close the head goes down and the danger of neck injury increases. Even sliding the head to the side causes the head to drop. Shoulder tackling is not a good alternative because it also tends to cause the head to drop. The safest legal tackle is head up, eyes on chest butt low and make contact with chest, shoot the hands and grab cloth on the back.

I have been coaching through all of the tackling rule changes and have seen many form tackling techniques come and go. Any technique that doesn't have the kid's head up is dangerous.

[rockyroad]

Originally Posted by bigjohn

We have found that eyes on the chest is the most likely way to get kids to keep their heads up and eyes open. When the eyes close the head goes down and the danger of neck injury increases. Even sliding the head to the side causes the head to drop. Shoulder tackling is not a good alternative because it also tends to cause the head to drop. The safest legal tackle is head up, eyes on chest butt low and make contact with chest, shoot the hands and grab cloth on the back.

I have been coaching through all of the tackling rule changes and have seen many form tackling techniques come and go. Any technique that doesn't have the kid's head up is dangerous.

Very well said! We teach "eyes on the numbers" when closing, and "eyes to the sky" on contact. We want contact chest to chest and wrap and grab cloth.

The thing that frustrates me as a coach is when the ball carrier is allowed to lower his head and lead with his helmet into the defender. That's every bit as dangerous and is hardly ever flagged in my experience.

[KWH]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

The thing that frustrates me as a coach is when the ball carrier is allowed to lower his head and lead with his helmet into the defender. That's every bit as dangerous and is hardly ever flagged in my experience.

Perhap this Casebook play will assist in clearing the waters...

2009 CASEBOOK 9.4.3 SITUATION D (b)
Runner A1 breaks free beyond the neutral zone. (a) As B1 and B2 are closing to tackle him, A1 veers into B1 and deliberatly drives his helmet into B1's chest; or (b), as B1 and B2 attempt to bring him down, A1 lowers his head and drives forward for yardage and he contacts B1 and/or B2 with his helmet. RULING: Spearing by A1 in (a) as he uses his helmet to punish B1. It is a 15-yard penalty. If the spearing is flagarant, A1 must be disqualified. In (b), the lowering of the head to pick up additional yardage is not illegal unless it is done to punish an opponent or if he uses the helmet to butt or ram. The runner's normal reaction is to attempt to gain yardage when being tackled. The reason for including the runner in the spearing, butting, and ramming prohibition is to prevent him from using the helmet to abuse an opponent as well as protection of the player. The illegal helmet contact rules apply equally to all players

[ajmc]

Originally Posted by KWH

Where did this come from?

During the "runup" to the creation of the "spearing" penalty, which was the first of the illegal helmet related penalty situations to be implemented, there was considerable discussion about how to correct the problem.

When "spearing" was announced and defined it was announced as a temporary measure whose effect on results would determine if additional action was necessary.

Removal of face maskes was included as one of the more severe possible remedies if "spearing" and revised coaching habits did not reduce risk. subsequently "Face Tackling" and "Butt blocking" were specified and added to the prohibited lists

[Mike L]

Does anyone seriously think they are going to remove face masks or, even sillier, go back to leather helmets? I mean really?

[Forksref]

Originally Posted by Youth Coach

Hi everyone,
I am a youth football coach trying my best to understand the game of youth football. I hope I am in the right place for this question.

I was with our youth football league president and commissioner and were interviewing a first time potential youth coach for 7-8 year old kids.

I asked him how he plans on teaching tackling. His response was that he was going to teach them to put their face right between their numbers.

I eventually revisited that statement and said that he should not teach tackling that way and it is dangerous and might even be illegal.

The president and commish both disagreed with me and said you could teach tackling that way and it is legal.

Is this legal? Does anyone know if this is described in the NFHS rules?

I tried searching in the nfhs site but was getting some kind of database error.

Thank you for your help.

Here is a link to USA Football. It is a great organization that has tons of resources for coaches, officials, league commissioners, etc.

USA Football: It's more than a game

I would check it out. It has resources that deal with safety and responsible coaching. If I was involved with a youth sport, I'd make sure I was connected to one of these national organizations.

[ajmc]

Originally Posted by Mike L

Does anyone seriously think they are going to remove face masks or, even sillier, go back to leather helmets? I mean really?

It seemed like a really radical suggestion back in the 1970s as well, but it got a lot of people's attention focused on the problem of serious head and spinal injuries.

The subsequent revising of the the teaching of some particularly dangerous tackling techniques, that were gaining popularity in that era, worked well enough to reduce the problem far enough that creation of the "spearing" penalty and subsequent expansion of "Face Teckling" and "butt blocking" were deemed sufficient rule expansions.

[Ed Hickland]

Originally Posted by ajmc

It seemed like a really radical suggestion back in the 1970s as well, but it got a lot of people's attention focused on the problem of serious head and spinal injuries.

The subsequent revising of the the teaching of some particularly dangerous tackling techniques, that were gaining popularity in that era, worked well enough to reduce the problem far enough that creation of the "spearing" penalty and subsequent expansion of "Face Teckling" and "butt blocking" were deemed sufficient rule expansions.

Can't believe it but for once I'm going to agree with Al.

Face masks were considered dangerous back in the late 60s because they were a lever that if pushed up with enough force could cause severe damage to the vertebra leading to spinal cord damage.

I witnessed such a tackle in 1968 and went to the funeral of a college player who I knew in 1967.

The response was a better design incorporating chin straps, better fit and padding on the lower back part of the helmet.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by Youth Coach

I am a youth football coach trying my best to understand the game of youth football. I hope I am in the right place for this question.

I was with our youth football league president and commissioner and were interviewing a first time potential youth coach for 7-8 year old kids.

I asked him how he plans on teaching tackling. His response was that he was going to teach them to put their face right between their numbers.

I eventually revisited that statement and said that he should not teach tackling that way and it is dangerous and might even be illegal.

The president and commish both disagreed with me and said you could teach tackling that way and it is legal.

Have you been in that league for long? If this is your first experience with it, this should be very bad news for you. They're interfering in an ignorant and dangerous way with someone who knows more about football and/or body mechanics, namely you. And if they're doing that with you, they're probably doing that with all the coaches. Either organize a coup with the other coaches to overthrow them, or get out of there.

And I'll back up what was said upthread and add more. Before the present rules outlawing those forms of contact were adopted, serious consideration was given to outlawing face masks, not only because they posed a direct threat to the neck as mentioned above, but also because they made players overconfident and more willing to lead with their head into an opponent.

Also, I think some in this thread may be wanking the answer given by the coach being interviewed. I don't see why putting your face between the opponent's numbers should be read charitably as meaning simply "keep your head up". Go ahead, try to wrap an opponent while putting your face between the numbers without first making contact using said face. Nobody's shoulders are broad and flexible enough that they can both hit in front of your face. Pick one shoulder to hit with; I don't care how much it tends to make you lower your head, it's got to be safer than having any part of your head in the middle of your opponent's frame.

Robert in the Bronx