Football Follies
October 7, 2014
Notice reached the MHSAA office of a so-called “2014 Michigan Youth Football Classic” that invites youth league teams to “a great weekend of youth tackle football.” For $450 per team, youth football teams will bang bodies for two days – Nov. 8 and 9 – with each team guaranteed at least three games. Three!
No level of football but this – for the youngest players who have the most vulnerable skulls – allows the idiocy of three games in a weekend. Most limit competition to a maximum of one game in a week!
In my opinion, this isn’t a football classic. It’s child abuse.
I wish the foolishness would stop there, but even an organization called USA Football seems to have lost its head. Initially and mostly with funding from the NFL, USA Football was focused on teaching youth football coaches and players safe blocking and tackling techniques. Good.
But now this pseudo-national governing body for amateur football is planning events for various age groups that will extend tackle football practices and games throughout what used to be an off-season. Multiple competitions in tackle football are scheduled for high school age players in January, February and July of 2015.
At a time when professional, college, school and Pop Warner football are all reducing contact during practices in-season, USA Football wants to expand the contact experience out of season. It makes about as much sense as three games in a weekend.
Listen to Coach, on Concussions
September 5, 2012
Farmington Hills Harrison football coach John Herrington has won 13 MHSAA championships and nearly 400 games over the last four decades. So when he speaks about concussion awareness, we all should listen.
As part of the MHSAA's ongoing concussion education, Herrington spoke on camera about the importance of proper perspective when it comes to those injuries.
(Click on photo below)
Also, this week's MHSAA Perspective with John Johnson discusses the importance of concussion awareness. Listen
PHOTO: Farmington Hills Harrison coach John Herrington led his team to a 38-28 win over Lowell in the 2010 MHSAA Division 2 Final. (Click to see more at Terry McNamara Photography.)