I have spoken with folks from 2 areas schools and they mentioned the fact that they never tackle to the ground and have very little contact in practice, even during camp. One player also told me that drills like Oklahoma are no longer allowed. Are these VHSL rules or just team rules?
Question concerning full contact in practice
- Thread starter Keith_Stone33
- Start date
Ryan4VT
VaPreps Varsity
Coach rules. Smart rules. VHSL allows full pads other than 2 weeks a year.
I have no issue with Oklahoma when used properly. This is football. You must learn how to hit. You also have to learn how to take a hit and get up angry and mean. Your mind has to tell you that you'll never be the guy on his ass again. It is a training tool.
All said. No Coach with half a brain runs full pads contact more than a 1 day per week during the season.
Just an example. Colleges go all year without anything more than "thud". Aside from the Spring game, this is what College is. You're playing with the big kids now. Continuous full contact is plain insanity.
I have no issue with Oklahoma when used properly. This is football. You must learn how to hit. You also have to learn how to take a hit and get up angry and mean. Your mind has to tell you that you'll never be the guy on his ass again. It is a training tool.
All said. No Coach with half a brain runs full pads contact more than a 1 day per week during the season.
Just an example. Colleges go all year without anything more than "thud". Aside from the Spring game, this is what College is. You're playing with the big kids now. Continuous full contact is plain insanity.
The VHSL only allows 90 minutes of full practice (tackling to ground) per week. The first week of practice cannot be in full pads. See page 135--136 of the VHSL Manual. Hope this helps.
Game is changing and if preliminary info is correct then less contact is a good thing from a safety perspective. However, it is a bad thing from a tackling fundamentals perspective and this skill gets worse every year. As the reduced contact philosophy flows further down the chain to youth leagues tackling will get even worse as there is no substitute for repetitions and actually tackling to the ground. USA football does deserve kudos for placing emphasis on tackling fundamentals and what they are trying to teach. Somewhere down the road depending on medical research, the public perception, etc., major decisions are looming about how and even if the games will be played but, the way things are going I am afraid to say I do not believe the product will resemble the game as it has been played throughout most of its history.
The game has changed from a "physical game" to a speed and skill game. If you can't catch a guy, you can't tackle him. That's why I like the Spread. Get ball to play makers in space and let them go.
There are some exceptions.
There are some exceptions.
I doubt that very many teams were affected by the new rule. We hadn't done close to 90 minutes a week in decades.
I agree. I was trying to remember my high school practices 33 years ago. I dont think we did more than 90 minutes a week either. Usually on Wednesday when the scout team got abused.
I only was allowed to play league football for 1 season because I got hurt in a game. However, we practiced 3 days a week, and had full contact practices for 1.5 hours each practice. I was in 7th grade.
From the good old days of leather helmets the schedule was pretty much set every week as long as you took care of business on Friday night and did not get in trouble off the field. Monday was opponent film, upcoming game plan, stretching, conditioning and individual skill work in shells. Tuesday was primarily offense with at least one full hour of contact drills. Wednesday was primarily defense with another full hour(at least) of contact. Thursday was walkthrough(helmets and shorts). Play Friday. Treatment on Saturday mornings. Evaluation and previous week game film Sunday afternoon. and then you're back to Monday. Lay an egg on Friday night or worse, get in trouble off the field(even if just one guy) and that nice little schedule went right out the window and you were going to need a lot of icy hot and balm to put on sore muscles from all the contact and punishment drills. Rarely was there a repeat offender as teammates held each other accountable.
You bet and come to think of it I caught the first forward pass against Bradbury College. It was called a projectile pass in 1906. If the pass fell incomplete you turned the ball over. Very risky. Now I know why it took so long for the pass to evolve. Rule changes in the late 40's and early 50's helped set up our current philosophies and certainly reduced injuries.
DP, your history lesson is complete for the day.
DP, your history lesson is complete for the day.
You are exactly right. Bull in the ring, up and downs and 2 vs. 1 gap drills deterred a ton of foolishness.
Same here, Wednesday was the only day we went full go during the season. During camp, however, we went full go and used to beat each other up for a couple weeks until scrimmages began
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