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Levels of Contact

Enhance youth and scholastic football athlete protections while enhancing skill development.

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Levels of Contact

  • More opportunities for athlete development. Less risk of helmet-to-helmet contact.

  • Gradually increasing intensity levels introduce young athletes to blocking, defeating blocks and tackling drills that make it easier for them to master essential football skills.

  • Levels of Contact allows coaches to plan effective practices through a step-by-step approach to teaching the fundamentals — so players can build skills and gain confidence in limited full contact environments.

 

LEVELS OF CONTACT

NO PLAYER-TO-PLAYER


AIR Contact: 

  • Player runs a drill unopposed without contact

BAGS Contact: 

  • Drill is run with a bag or against another soft contact surface
CONTROLLED CONTACT


CONTROL Contact:

  • Drill is run at assigned speed until the moment of contact 
  • One player is pre-determined the winner by the coach
  • Contact remains above the waist and players stay on their feet

CONTROL TO GROUND Contact: 

  • Drill is run at an assigned speed non-competitive speed until the moment of contact
  • One player is pre-determined as the winner
  • Players are allowed to take their opponent to the ground in a controlled manner
FULL CONTACT


THUD Contact: 

  • Drill is run at a competitive speed through the moment of contact
  • There is not pre-determined "winner"
  • Contact is above the waist
  • Players stay on their feet and a quick whistle ends the drill

Live: 

  • Drill is run at a competitive speed in game like conditions

View Levels of Contact and Practice Guidelines