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Friday, August 1, 2008
Tiny Tacklers
Greater Louisville, KY
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With kids eager to play full-contact football, the CSAA has instituted the tackle game for its youngest players.
Just as high school football players are preparing for the season, youth players are on the verge of a new season on the gridiron. But for the first time, kids in third and fourth grades who play with the Catholic School Athletic Association (CSAA) will be outfitted with pads and hard helmets and playing tackle football.
Previously, kids in those grades in the CSAA played flag football before starting tackle in fifth and sixth grades. Even with the change, teaching the game is still the objective.
“This is more of an instructional league for third and fourth graders,” says Thom Wachtel, the director of football for the CSAA. He says there will be no standings for the teams and no tournament play at the end of the season. Other than some modifications to the kicking game, however, it’s football as usual.
Why the change?
Wachtel says his board of directors made the decision because a number of kids in the Catholic schools were electing to play teams in the Optimist league, where they offered tackle football for the younger kids. Several of the schools were even opting to field third and fourth grade tackle teams in that league as opposed to flag football with their schools.
“We wanted them to play for the schools,” says Wachtel. “It’s also a safety issue.”
Even though flag football does not involve tackling, there are risks to the kids in play. Without full pads and the protection of a hard helmet, kids could be injured reaching in to grab flags and other plays. In flag football, the kids were playing with only a soft helmet. Wachtel says he believes the kids may be safer playing with more protection, even if the play involves more contact.
Is it necessary to start kids playing at this age in order for them to be competitive at the high school level? Not necessarily, says Wachtel. He believes kids can start even at sixth grade and learn the fundamentals and all they need to play high school or higher level football.
That’s not to say the kids aren’t eager to get out on the field and play the full-fledged game. Wachtel says the response to the shift so far is very positive, with an increase in the number of teams registered over last year.
“Since this is a developmental league, lots of schools are putting in two teams. They see it as a good opportunity to play a lot of kids,” says Wachtel. “I’m being conservative when I say there will be 25 teams.” CSAA organizes football play for 30 Catholic grade schools in Jefferson, Oldham and Shelby counties.
Wachtel says he believes there will be even more teams sign up next year, as the schools have more time to organize and raise money for uniforms and equipment.
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