Tackle Football ~ Play it Safe

A couple of years ago, our boys began participating in youth tackle football.  Our philosophy with sports is "Do your best, and remember, the #1 goal is to have fun." However, most of you know that

1. boys are usually very competitive and 

2. coaches are even more competitive.  

Sometimes that competitive spirit overrides the crucial necessity of teaching kids practices that will keep them safe out on the playing field.  Safety of the athletes should be every coach's #1 goal.

My husband, Steve, is a great teacher and coach.  In his quest to teach our boys and all of his athletes the safest, most effective techniques possible, he has discovered that many of the techniques being taught to kids today can lead to injury. (Language such as "wrap up" and "hit low" that is used on the practice field can be dangerous.)

If you are involved in coaching football, or even have kids who play football at any level, it is imperative that you visit the Train 'Em Up Academy website and see why every coach and athlete will benefit from Coach Bobby Hosea's instruction.

Head and spinal cord injuries are rising exponentially among athletes of all ages in the game of football. There are videos all over You Tube of young boys who are unable to recover after fatal hits - hits that cause severe concussions and even paralysis.  This is a serious issue.  Steve is teaching our boys Coach Hosea's techniques and are having a great time showing them how to play smart.

Please share this information with anyone you know who may be involved in youth football!!

Every night after supper, football is the first thing on the boys' minds.  They love to practice out in the yard.  But,  more than anything, I think they just love the one-on-one time that they have with each other and with their dad.

They even enjoy doing footwork and coordination drills.  I wonder if that enjoyment will last??

I'm the cheerleader.  Well, not really that kind of cheerleader.  I like to yell, but no thanks on the jumps and splits part. I sit on the deck and drink beer until I can't handle how bad the yard looks and I start pulling weeds, or having funerals for all of the dead flowers that were stricken by the drought.

Sometimes I can't resist chasing the little ones around the yard, or impressing the warrior brutes with wildly awesome ability to throw a spiral.  Well, it's probably more wild than awesome.

 Charlie is the equipment manager.  His favorite job is to reposition the cones. He kind of looks like a cone in his orange polo and droopy diaper.

Everyone has a great time....even the little ones who are waiting for their chance to climb into a pair of shoulder pads and helmet.