From the local community league to the National Football League, football is making aggressive changes to make the game safer and more accessible to boys and girls of all ages.

Here’s a list of the most impactful changes in the last 3 years:

1. The Growth of Flag Football

The nation’s fastest growing sport is flag football, and it’s for good reason!  Flag welcomes boys and girls of all ages and, as far as contact risk, it plays no different than soccer, basketball or many other team sports.  With the flag growth (8.7% last year), coaching, league organization and competitive skills have improved significantly—and that only improves an already great team sport experience.  Flag Football is now a viable avenue for parents with kids that love the game but prefer non-contact competition.

2. The Elimination of Summer Full Contact Camps

From top to bottom, coaches realize there is no need to offer full-contact football instruction during the hot summer months.  For kids interested in tackle football, the overwhelming choice to develop muscle memory through repetition in a non-contact format.

As muscle memory and conditioning improve during the summer, kids arrive in the fall, better prepared to block and tackle safely.

3. The Reduction of Player to Player Contact during In-Season Practices

USA Football, State High School Association and the NCAA have taken great measure to reduce the frequency of practice contact.   Examples of youth guidelines include limiting contact practices to 2-3 practices per week, not doing contact practice in consecutive days and no more than 30 minutes of contact per single session.

4. Integration of New, Safe Tackling Apparatus

Smart, creative and practical decisions from programs like Dartmouth College are getting big traction.  Dartmouth did not go live contact their entire seasons.   Instead, Dartmouth players take on the Mobile Virtual Player (MVP).  Other programs choose to hit the Rolling Tackle Dummy.  In both cases, the players throwing the block or tackle are significantly safer.  Coaches can isolate technique instruction and contact is significantly reduced.

5. Integration of New Tackling Technique

With USA Football in the lead, blocking and tackling techniques focus on the shoulder to reduce the risk of head contact.  This improved technique combines with youth coach education, equipment fitting guidelines and concussion education support/treatment.

6. Rule Changes to Protect Players

Across the country, youth leagues sharply penalize illegal use of the head, contact on a defenseless player

7. New 7 on 7 Youth Football

Local leagues, in conjunction with USA Football, will pilot a program that reduces game play from 11 vs. 11 players to 7 vs. 7 players.  Additional changes include smaller fields, the elimination of punts, kickoffs and the three-point stance.  These changes are designed to reduce contact when players are likely more vulnerable and less prepared to protect themselves.