SportsEvents Magazine

JAN 2016

SportsEvents is edited for those who plan tournaments or other sports events.

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January 2016 30 www.sportseventsmagazine.com is no secret that participation in youth football has taken a hit in the past few years and organizations are looking for ways to renew interest. A turning point, offcials say, has been the USA Football Heads Up safety education program that reduces injuries among young players and can reverse participation trends that have been spiraling downward. That's good news, not just for those organizations, but for the cities and facil- ities that want to lure tournament play to their area. More than 1.3 million youngsters ages six to 12 participate in football each year, according to the Sports & Fitness Indus- try Association. And that means a lot of competitions. The Pop Warner Little Scholars program, for example, offers eight regional championships in youth football annually, said executive director Jon Butler. About 250,000 youth participate in Pop Warner-sanctioned events each year. Though their participation numbers have been fat, that "is good given the circumstances," he said. Pop Warner implemented the Heads Up Football program and it is paying off. "There is evidence-based research that with our Pop Warner rule changes, we have had very large, signifcant decreases in overall injuries and concussions in practice," Butler said. "They have proven we can make practice safer." Butler said Pop Warner was the frst sports organization to institute its own concussion rule in 2010, limiting the amount and type of contact allowed in practice. As of 2014, Pop Warner requires all its football coaches to take the Heads head's UP! Safety Focus In Youth Football Helps Level Off Participation Numbers safety on the field It About 1.3 million youth ages 6 to 12 participate in football programs each year around the country. About 250,000 youth participate each year in the Pop Warner-sanctioned football events across the country, competing against children of similar size and age. Pop Warner and USA Football offcials say studies show that the implementation of safety standards has decreased injuries in youth football. n Gerardo Mora/Pop Warner t BY TAMMY LEYTHAM

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