Youth Football Unites under USA Football Umbrella

Until recently, no two football leagues or summer camps were alike.

Some seasons started in July, while others waited to late August. Some had player weight limits, others had none. Some youth league leaders considered flag football the most essential and smartest entry level platform to grow the game. Others considered flag something else--sometimes they said it was not “real football.”

For good reason, youth football is making substantial changes to standardize the seasons, the coaching standards and the safety standards for participating kids ages 6-14 years old.

USA Football’s leadership is behind these changes. USA Football, the governing body for football in the United States, has assumed the key leadership role with respect to player insurance, coaching education, player development and most importantly--player safety. And the youth leagues are following in big numbers.

Notably, in two years, more than half, or 5,500 US youth football leagues have registered for USA Football’s Heads Up Football program.

And at least one private summer camp operator—NFL Alumni Association Youth Football Camps--offers the Heads Up curriculum within it’s many community-based camps.

Heads Up Football is a player skill development program rooted in the best available science, establishing important equipment, technique, coaching and language standards so kids play better, safer football.

And Heads Up Football is working. According to a 2014 study by the Datalys Center for Sports Injury Research, players that participate in Heads Up experience 76 percent fewer injuries compared to those in leagues that did not take part in the program.

NFL Alumni Association Youth Football Camps are the area’s only private camp provider offering Heads Up Football and the results are terrific.

“Heads Up is something every youth football league needs to apply,” says Tom Finks--Program Director for NFL Alumni Association Youth Football Camps. “All of our NFL Alumni Association Youth Camp coaches are Heads Up certified. We are teaching the best, safest and most effective approach to blocking and tackling. With a uniform approach and language, parents see the game is getting safer and better.”

Learn Heads Up Football and much more at NFL Alumni Association Youth Football Camps.

Camp near you: Walton High School | July 20-24 | Marietta GA

To register, visit www.NFLAlumnifootball.com or call 312-226-0002. l