Mooresville Youth Athletics

HEADS UP FOOTBALL

Mooresville Youth Athletics puts the safety of our kids first. Each of our football coaches gets trained and certified by USA football to coach "Heads Up Tackling". When your child plays football for Mooresville Youth Athletics, you can be confident that your child will learn the proper techniques to be able to safely enjoy the game of football.

Heads up football is the new standard in tackle football, introduced by the USA football organization. USA football is the national governing body for amateur football in the US. USA football is endowed by the National football league and the national football league players association. Heads up football focuses on teaching new, safer tackling techniques which helps our kids maintain their aggressive approach but helps prevent head injuries.

The first step to learning how to tackle is to start from the breakdown position. The Heads Up Tackling breakdown position focuses on getting the head out of the way. Our coaches dedicate time learning how to properly teach the breakdown position and spend the time needed with each player to make sure that this position becomes fundamental. This video from USA football demonstrates the same approach that your child will experience every time he steps on the field.

Taking the breakdown position one step further, the kids will learn the proper "hit position". Heads up football teaches the hit position differently than it was taught years ago. The hit position today focuses on balance, angles and making sure that players initiate contact the fronts of their shoulder pads instead of the top of the shoulder pads. This keeps the head out of the way of contact and also keeps the players eyes focused on their target.

Once in the hit position, the kids will learn how to safely approach the ball carrier. The coaches will uses various drills to teach "the buzz" and the "hit step". The buzz allows the kids to keep their feet moving so that they are in a good position to make the tackle. Buzzing their feet allows the kids to keep proper balance, so that they will be in a position to initiate contact with the ball carrier. The "hit step" teaches kids how to get their bodies in proper position to make a tackle and avoid injury.

It is important for players to safely accelerate through the tackle. "The shoot" is a fundamental that teaches the kids to stay low and use their legs and hips to generate the power needed to make the tackle

The final step in Heads Up Tackling is "the rip". This drill teaches the kids how to wrap up the ball carrier, while moving their head out of the way. The combination of these fundamentals will teach the kids a safe way to make a tackle. They will be able to play football confidently and have fun playing the game safely.

Take a minute or two to watch this video with your son to help emphasize these fundamentals.