LUMBERTON — The game of football has come under tremendous scrutiny in recent years as a number of professional football players reported long-term injuries and brain trauma.

In the past four years, the Public Schools of Robeson County added certified athletic trainers to diagnose student injury and support players. This May, coaches across the school district took safety to the next level by participating in USA Football’s “Heads Up Football Program.” Fifty coaches from county high schools recently spent a full day studying and practicing in the program. It trained them in important health and safety issues along with the game’s fundamentals. The coaches also participated in four online courses as an additional component of the program.

Assistant Coach Thomas Umphrey participated in the training program and is already teaching the new techniques in spring workouts to players at Purnell Swett High School. Umphrey has worked in the school district for 30 years.

“Football has changed so much over the years since I started coaching,” Umphrey said. “Back in the early 80s and late 70s, a lot of the tackling techniques put the players facemask on the numbers of the front of the jersey. Now, players should move their facemask and helmet to the side when tackling a player. This should reduce injury or impact or force to the head.”

Umphrey said the training covered the various aspects of concussion awareness, fundamentals and fitting of helmets and equipment, heat stroke and also the proper techniques of tackling and blocking.

“They are teaching us how to recognize concussion symptoms and to make sure the equipment is properly fitted to reduce injuries. The course is all about teaching both players and coaches the proper safety of football,” he said.

The USA Football’s Heads Up Football program focuses on eight key areas including certification:

— Equipment fitting, particularly the proper fitting of the helmets and shoulder pads.

— Concussion recognition and response and employing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention protocols.

— Heat preparedness and hydration.

— Plans and procedures in place in case of sudden cardiac arrest.

— Heads-Up tackling which teaches the fundamentals in a safer way. USA Football has added a more advanced progression for high school varsity players.

— Heads-Up blocking which teaches the fundamentals of contact for offensive players without the ball.

— Establishing a player safety coach who is appointed by the school district and will ensure compliance with the Heads Up football safety protocols and coach certification. The appointee will also continue educating coaches, players and parents on safety protocols.

PSRC Athletic Director Jeff Fipps says the program aligns with the district’s goal to reduce the number of head injuries on the field.

“This program gives our staff the new standards to support our students in the effort to take the use of the athlete’s head out of football in terms of blocking and tackling,’ Fipps said. “Our coaches studied these new techniques as well as trained on the field themselves. I am excited that all of our programs will utilize the Heads Up football program to hopefully improve the safety of the game.”

Fipps says the goal for the coming school year is to implement Heads-Up certification at all middle schools in addition to the high schools.

PSRC participated in the Heads Up program through a grant from the Carolina Panthers in conjunction with the N.C. High School Athletic Association.

Tasha Oxendine | High School coaches from across the Public Schools of Robeson County practice new football techniques they were taught during the “USA Football’s Heads Up Football Program.” Jeffery Fipps, Robeson County’s athletic director, said he hopes the program can be implemented at all middle and high schools during the 2016-2017 school year.
https://www.robesonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/web1__DSC0024.jpgTasha Oxendine | High School coaches from across the Public Schools of Robeson County practice new football techniques they were taught during the “USA Football’s Heads Up Football Program.” Jeffery Fipps, Robeson County’s athletic director, said he hopes the program can be implemented at all middle and high schools during the 2016-2017 school year.

By Tasha Oxendine

 

Tasha Oxendine is the public information officer for the Public Schools of Robeson County.