Safety information

Player safety is our highest priority as a youth football program. We are committed to continually improving safety awareness and properly training the dedicated volunteers who make this program possible.

Each year, all head coaches are required to complete the USA Football Heads Up Football comprehensive player safety and coach education program. This training covers shoulder tackling and blocking techniques, concussion recognition and response, proper equipment fitting, sudden cardiac arrest awareness, heat illness prevention, Coaching 101, and more.

We also provide medical coverage at games. Athletic trainers are present at all 3rd-6th grade home games, and one or more trainers attend both home and away games for our 7th and 8th grade teams.

In addition to the Heads Up Football certification required for head coaches, all assistant coaches must complete online concussion awareness training. Recognizing the signs and symptoms of a concussion—and understanding the proper recovery process—is critical to protecting our athletes.

We take a conservative approach to head injuries and firmly follow this standard:
“When in doubt, sit them out.”

For additional information, please refer to our “Concussion Management Guidelines” or visit:
https://www.cordiscosaile.com/concussions-in-youth/

Proper tackling technique is essential to improving player safety. From 3rd grade through senior year, we teach and reinforce Hawk Tackling. A portion of nearly every practice is dedicated to developing and refining this technique to promote safer, more effective contact.

Additional information is available in the document titled “Hawk Tackling – SC,” as well as this instructional video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HihjPApzCg

The football season begins in late August—often one of the hottest times of the year in Michigan. Without proper hydration and monitoring, athletes can be at risk for heat-related illnesses, including heat stroke.

Parents play an important role in ensuring their child is properly hydrated before practices and games. As a program, we also educate coaches and volunteers to recognize the warning signs and symptoms of heat-related conditions and respond appropriately.

Properly fitted equipment is a critical component of player safety. While our program does not supply equipment, we strongly encourage parents to ensure that helmets and shoulder pads are correctly sized and fitted.

Our Equipment page, located under the General Information menu, provides links to manufacturers, fitting guides, and detailed information outlining the equipment requirements for participation.