Significant Changes Coming to Fall Camps After February Concussion Study (SI’s Dellenger)

[huskymedic]

-> Committee members are considering a reduction of full-padded camp practices (from 21 to eight), the complete abolishment of collision exercises (such as the “Oklahoma” drill) and limiting a team to two scrimmages per camp (lowered from three and a half). <-

-> In the latest working model, a 25-practice camp must include at least nine non-contact, padless practices (helmets only). That’s up from the current rule of two mandatory padless practices, which are part of an acclimatization period at the beginning of each camp. No more than eight practices can feature full pads and full contact, up from 21 under the current rule.

Lyons refers to the working model as 9-8-8: a minimum of nine padless practices, eight practices in shells (helmets and shoulder pads) and a maximum of eight practices in full pads with full contact. In shells, players cannot be tackled to the ground, under current rules.

The working model would also reduce scrimmages from three and a half to two; would permit a maximum of 90 minutes of full tackling in any one single padded practice; and would prohibit more than two consecutive full-padded practices, requiring coaches to wedge in non-contact and shell practices. <-

-> The changes are far from official. A subgroup of the FOC has spent the last several weeks ironing out details and will present the changes to the full committee at its meeting Thursday. Afterward, the new policies will be sent to member schools for feedback before the FOC officially recommends the legislation to the NCAA Division I Council, which must in turn OK the changes at its meeting on May 19.<-

 

[huskymedic]

 

[Exit 4]

-> Committee members are considering a reduction of full-padded camp practices (from 21 to eight), the complete abolishment of collision exercises (such as the “Oklahoma” drill) and limiting a team to two scrimmages per camp (lowered from three and a half). <-

-> In the latest working model, a 25-practice camp must include at least nine non-contact, padless practices (helmets only). That’s up from the current rule of two mandatory padless practices, which are part of an acclimatization period at the beginning of each camp. No more than eight practices can feature full pads and full contact, up from 21 under the current rule.

Lyons refers to the working model as 9-8-8: a minimum of nine padless practices, eight practices in shells (helmets and shoulder pads) and a maximum of eight practices in full pads with full contact. In shells, players cannot be tackled to the ground, under current rules.

The working model would also reduce scrimmages from three and a half to two; would permit a maximum of 90 minutes of full tackling in any one single padded practice; and would prohibit more than two consecutive full-padded practices, requiring coaches to wedge in non-contact and shell practices. <-

-> The changes are far from official. A subgroup of the FOC has spent the last several weeks ironing out details and will present the changes to the full committee at its meeting Thursday. Afterward, the new policies will be sent to member schools for feedback before the FOC officially recommends the legislation to the NCAA Division I Council, which must in turn OK the changes at its meeting on May 19.<-

I appreciate the efforts to make things safer and to bring more standardization to manage expectations, but at some point the limiting of contact will start to work the other way.

Keep pushing this road and you will see contact camps spring up, programs that give kids the contact their college programs no longer are permitting during the season. The kids have signed up for tackle football, not flag football.