Wilton Youth Football & Cheer

USA FOOTBALL - HEADS UP

Wilton Youth Football teaches the Heads Up Football tackling and blocking technique, which was developed by USA Football and has become the new standard for player safety and proper technique.

Starting as three pilot programs in 2012, Heads Up Football is now used by more than 7,000 youth and high school programs. Wilton Youth Football has adopted this approach to make the game safer for our players by deliberating taking the head out of the contact. Simply put: we want our players to be safer, no matter the competition level.

We teach proper technique using shoulders (tackling) and hands (blocking) as the key contact points, supported by proper football work and balance.

You'll find more information and links to informative videos below.

Proper helmet fitting from USA Football

Watch this video to learn how a helmet should properly fit your football player to ensure his/her safety.

Proper shoulder pad fitting from USA Football

How do those shoulder pads work and how big should they be? Common questions that are addressed in this video created to ensure the safety of your football player.

Intro to Heads Up Tackling

USA Football’s Heads Up Tackling® is a step-by-step protocol to teach the core principles of the skill and sets a new standard in player safety. The program utilizes five fundamentals through a series of drills to reinforce proper tackling mechanics and teach players how to properly tackle with a focus on reducing helmet contact.

Fundamentals of Heads Up Tackling expanded

1. Breakdown Position

2. Buzzing the Feet

3. Hit Position (Squeeze)

4. The Shoot (Swoop)

5. The Rip (Drive arms up)

Heads Up Blocking

USA Football’s Heads Up Blocking® helps coaches teach players how to properly engage with a defender, drive with the legs and maintain the correct body position for effective and safer play.

The 5 fundamental are:

1. Stance

2. Get Off

3. Strike

4. Stick

5. Finish

HEAT INDEX & AIR QUALITY

Heat Index Guideline

80-89: Athletes should be watched closely for any heat distress, and frequent water breaks should be taken.

90- 94: Mandatory water breaks every 30 minutes for 5 minutes in duration. Find shade or other ways to cool down players. Watch/monitor athletes carefully for any heat distress.

95-99: Shorts, shoulder pads, and helmets only. Helmets removed when not needed. Re-check temperature and humidity every 30 minutes to monitor for increased Heat Index. Mandatory water breaks every 30 minutes for 10 minutes in duration. Find shade or other ways to cool down players.

100-104: No shoulder pads. Helmets and shorts only. Helmets removed when not needed. Re-check temperature and humidity every 30 minutes to monitor for increased Heat Index. Mandatory water breaks every 20 minutes for 10 minutes in duration. Find shade or other ways to cool down players. Watch/monitor athletes carefully for necessary action. If necessary for safety, suspend activity.

104+ degrees: Activity will be suspended, postponed until later in the evening, or held indoors at the coach’s discretion. Activity could also be rescheduled or postponed, when the heat index has reached an acceptable level. No activity may begin until conditions are acceptable, meaning the heat index is below 104. All appropriate guidelines should be followed based on the reading at the time.

Ideas for cooling players: damp cool towels, fans, shade, misting bottles.

Wilton Youth Football follows the direction of the High School Athletic trainers. If they cancel practices for the High School teams, the Youth teams will follow suit in 9/10 scenarios. The odd scenario is when the high school practices early in the day and the youth team is at night, sometimes allowing significant temperature swings.

Air Quality Index Guidelines

All measurements will be taken from https://www.airnow.gov for the zip code where the activity is taking place.

AQI over 100: monitor all athletes for respiratory difficulty. Reduce long/heavy exertion with frequent breaks.

AQI over 150: outdoor activities should be shortened, and exertion should be minimized by decreasing the intensity of activity. Sensitive athletes should not participate. No games allowed. Low exertion practice allowed. Monitor athletes for respiratory difficulty.

AQI over 200: no outdoor activities allowed.