Is face tackling legal?

[Youth Coach]

Thank you everyone for helping out with this. Now my task is to inform my league pres. and the commish.

Unfortunately, they think that this is the proper way to teach tackling.

I understand that when someone is tackling that there is a possibility that the face mask might be involved.

My greatest concern is that coaches are teaching to tackle that way.

This is a perfect example of how the cycle of bad coaching comes around. I can see this new coach 10 years down the road telling a rookie coach that he needs to teach his 7 year olds to tackle with the face between the numbers.


Now I am off to try and explain and try not to lose my coaching position because of it...wish me luck and thank you all for your help.

[bigjohn]

You are still missing the point. Face to the numbers is not bad technique as long as you stress first contact with the chest. It doesn't matter what aim point you teach as long as you stress a body position that keeps the head out of the contact. See What you hit!

http://www.mhsaa.com/services/seewhat.wmv

[jaybird]

"Is face tackling legal?"

Depends on what she looks like!

[bigjohn]

Thurmond Moore's Tackling Academy

[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.

[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?