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Blaine Youth Football Partners with USA Football

By Darrell Colman, 04/10/14, 3:30PM CDT

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Safety is the #1 Priority for Blaine Youth Football

Blaine Youth Football (BYF) has partnered with USA Football to advance youth football player safety by endorsing USA Football’s Heads Up Football program.

BYF supports player safety-focused training programs for its coaches and have adopted the Heads Up Football program as a means to minimize the inherent risk in the sport.

Jason Byers has been selected as our Player Safety Coach. Jason will be trained by USA Football to instruct fellow coaches, parents and players on Heads Up Football’s tackling mechanics that aim to reduce helmet contact, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) concussion recognition and response protocols and proper helmet and shoulder pad fitting.  Jason along with his assistant player safety coaches will work to make sure that the Heads Up Football’s protocols are put into practice throughout the season. In addition, all participating coaches will complete the USA Football Fundamentals of Coaching Football certification course.

“The safety of our student-athletes is our No. 1 priority,” said BYF President Ken Downey. “Heads Up Football is advancing training and techniques used at the youth level for how the game of football is taught and played”

“Heads Up Football is raising standards in how coaches are prepared to teach and how player safety is addressed to coaches, players and parents,” said USA Football Executive Director Scott Hallenbeck. “Nothing comes before the health and safety of our young athletes. Our game is undergoing a significant behavior change for the better through the education and training Heads Up Football delivers.”

Heads Up Football has been adopted this season by nearly 2,800 youth football programs representing nearly 600,000 youth players in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., this season.

Five primary elements of our USA Football’s Heads Up Football program for youth football:

Heads Up Tackling

USA Football’s Heads Up Tackling technique, endorsed by medical and football experts, teaches players to keep their heads up and out of the line of contact.

Coaching certification

All head coaches will complete the USA Football Level 1 certification course designed for youth coaches.

Concussion recognition and response

Coaches learn and are assessed on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) concussion recognition and response protocols. 
Coaches, parents and players are taught concussion-related protocols.

Player Safety Coach

Jason Byers has been appointed our Player Safety Coach.  He will be trained by USA Football to implement Heads Up Football’s player safety protocols, including coaching certification, and conducts safety clinics for fellow coaches, parents and players.

Equipment fitting

Coaches, parents and players will be taught proper helmet and shoulder pad fitting.