Post by CC_Varmints on Jun 12, 2013 10:37:46 GMT -6
Rule Review
DCTF's Greg Tepper on the impact -- or lack thereof -- of the UIL's new rule on full-contact practices.
Nothing gets the blood pumping among Texas high school football fans – aside from the rush of a Friday night – quite like a UIL rule change. When the governing body of the sport speaks, the whole state listens.
And boy, did the state’s ears perk up on Tuesday.
Back in April, the UIL’s Medical Advisory Committee unanimously recommended a limit of 90 minutes of full-contact practice per week during the season. The rule is intended to limit the cumulative effect of subconcussive hits -- that is, the little hits that can add up to big problems in the concussion department.
On Tuesday, the UIL’s Legislative Council approved that amendment. There’s only one more step – the commissioner of education’s approval, which is reportedly a lock – to make it the law of the land.
Understandably, when the news broke, there was a visceral reaction from many Texas high school football fans. The fear that the proverbial starch would be taken out of the game – that players wouldn’t be able to hit in practice – was palpable. A quick glance at Twitter could tell you that. It felt like a monumental, earth-shattering change.
There’s just one…teeny…tiny little detail that’s important in this story.
This rule will not change much for almost every football program in the state.
The devil is in the details, as it often is when it comes to government. And the truth is that this rule simply will not change much for most of the programs in the state.
One key is “full-contact” – which is defined as game speed with blocking and tackling all the way to the ground.
Another key is “during the season” – meaning that this does not apply to spring or preseason practice.
As we mentioned before, this rule has been floating out there as a possibility – even a seeming inevitability – since April. That gave us time here at Dave Campbell’s Texas Football to ask many of the coaches we talked to in making the summer edition (available for pre-order!) about the rule.
Their overwhelming response: they’re already in compliance with the new rule.
We heard coaches tell us time and time again that they were well under the 90-minute limit already, without having to be told to do so by the UIL. That’s because players are usually only in full pads twice per week – Monday and Tuesday for a Friday night game, for example – and only practicing at full game speed a fraction of that time.
Coaches reached out to DCTF on Twitter as well, saying that they’re already in compliance. Coach Joe Willis of the 4A DI state champion Cedar Park Timberwolves wrote:
“The new regulations passed will not change CPFB practices at all. We are nowhere close to 90 min. of full contact practice per week.”
Cedar Hill coach Joey McGuire joined in, writing:
“Will not change us at all.”
What's more: the fact that the rule only applies in the season means that there will be no real impact on the teaching element of the game. Good blocking and tackling form -- imperative in safety -- is usually taught in the offseason, when this rule will not apply.
If there is a change that will come to programs, it will be tracking the practice for UIL purposes. That may prove to be tricky at first, but all coaches will be working on the same learning curve.
What’s more: the measure came from the UIL Medical Advisory Committee, of which Texas High School Coaches Association executive director D.W. Rutledge is a member. Think of the THSCA as the voice of the coaches. And when the voice of the coaches votes in favor of the measure, you know that coaches are on board.
Not everyone is happy with the could-be-new rule, and that’s to be expected – with change comes resistance. But fans should rest assured that this new rule will not change much in a real-world sense – if anything – about the sport we all love so dear. And what's more: it should make the game even a little safer.
DCTF's Greg Tepper on the impact -- or lack thereof -- of the UIL's new rule on full-contact practices.
Nothing gets the blood pumping among Texas high school football fans – aside from the rush of a Friday night – quite like a UIL rule change. When the governing body of the sport speaks, the whole state listens.
And boy, did the state’s ears perk up on Tuesday.
Back in April, the UIL’s Medical Advisory Committee unanimously recommended a limit of 90 minutes of full-contact practice per week during the season. The rule is intended to limit the cumulative effect of subconcussive hits -- that is, the little hits that can add up to big problems in the concussion department.
On Tuesday, the UIL’s Legislative Council approved that amendment. There’s only one more step – the commissioner of education’s approval, which is reportedly a lock – to make it the law of the land.
Understandably, when the news broke, there was a visceral reaction from many Texas high school football fans. The fear that the proverbial starch would be taken out of the game – that players wouldn’t be able to hit in practice – was palpable. A quick glance at Twitter could tell you that. It felt like a monumental, earth-shattering change.
There’s just one…teeny…tiny little detail that’s important in this story.
This rule will not change much for almost every football program in the state.
The devil is in the details, as it often is when it comes to government. And the truth is that this rule simply will not change much for most of the programs in the state.
One key is “full-contact” – which is defined as game speed with blocking and tackling all the way to the ground.
Another key is “during the season” – meaning that this does not apply to spring or preseason practice.
As we mentioned before, this rule has been floating out there as a possibility – even a seeming inevitability – since April. That gave us time here at Dave Campbell’s Texas Football to ask many of the coaches we talked to in making the summer edition (available for pre-order!) about the rule.
Their overwhelming response: they’re already in compliance with the new rule.
We heard coaches tell us time and time again that they were well under the 90-minute limit already, without having to be told to do so by the UIL. That’s because players are usually only in full pads twice per week – Monday and Tuesday for a Friday night game, for example – and only practicing at full game speed a fraction of that time.
Coaches reached out to DCTF on Twitter as well, saying that they’re already in compliance. Coach Joe Willis of the 4A DI state champion Cedar Park Timberwolves wrote:
“The new regulations passed will not change CPFB practices at all. We are nowhere close to 90 min. of full contact practice per week.”
Cedar Hill coach Joey McGuire joined in, writing:
“Will not change us at all.”
What's more: the fact that the rule only applies in the season means that there will be no real impact on the teaching element of the game. Good blocking and tackling form -- imperative in safety -- is usually taught in the offseason, when this rule will not apply.
If there is a change that will come to programs, it will be tracking the practice for UIL purposes. That may prove to be tricky at first, but all coaches will be working on the same learning curve.
What’s more: the measure came from the UIL Medical Advisory Committee, of which Texas High School Coaches Association executive director D.W. Rutledge is a member. Think of the THSCA as the voice of the coaches. And when the voice of the coaches votes in favor of the measure, you know that coaches are on board.
Not everyone is happy with the could-be-new rule, and that’s to be expected – with change comes resistance. But fans should rest assured that this new rule will not change much in a real-world sense – if anything – about the sport we all love so dear. And what's more: it should make the game even a little safer.