Safety

Certified Equipment

• Investments were made in high quality Riddell and Schutt Youth Football Helmets designed to reduce (but not eliminate) concussion risk. These helmets feature a flexible shell design that’s engineered to reduce impact force transfer to the player.
• Our Helmets are recertified every two years and reconditioned. Any helmet that is found to be in a bad state is thrown out and never used in practice or games.

Coaching

• All coaches are required to complete “Heads Up” training through the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to help them recognize the signs and symptoms of a concussion and make sure players suspected of suffering such an injury are removed from play immediately.

• HYF is committed to “Taking the head out of the game.” Proper tackling and blocking techniques are taught and reinforced at all levels of our program.

​All coaches are trained in CDC Head's Up Concussion Training.

Technique

• Our coaches teach our players safe tackling techniques, to minimize the chance of injury.

• HYF youth players are coached in “rugby-style” tackling to reduce impact force to the player and minimize the head’s exposure to contact during tackling.

• HYF youth players are taught the “2 - Point Stance” as young lineman to keep there eyes up and their heads away from contact when blocking “Full Contact” between players is limited during practices and many drills are performed using sleds, bags and dummies rather than other players.

• Antiquated coaching styles encouraging poor technique and aggression over proper tackling and blocking techniques are not tolerated.

• All levels spend significant practice time performing dynamic stretching, plyometrics and bodyweight exercises to prepare their bodies for the physical nature of a football game/season.

Sportmanship

Our players learn good sportsmanship. Good sportsmanship goes a long way in preventing injury.