Livermore Junior Football League 2019

Livermore Junior Football League 2019 8U, 10U, 11U Divisions

League Information • LJFL was founded in 2007 on the tenant “Everyone Plays, Everyone Cheers” • We are not a comp league. Comp leagues often cut players following tryouts and have a very low “minimum play” requirement (4 plays). • LJFL does not cut players. • Every player is assigned a “starting” position and is guaranteed a minimum of 50% of the snaps at that position. • Focus is on player safety, proper instruction of latest techniques, and positive player experience • Partnership with USA Football • Founded in 2002 by former NFL players and coaches with the goal of evolving and growing the sport of football by setting standards and best practices to advance coach and player development. • At the forefront of player safety advancements • All LJFL coaches are USA football certified in latest techniques and safety measures • EBYFA – East Bay Youth Football Association • LJFL • PJFL • FFL • 2020 – Future additions

League Information • Division Structure • 8U (6-7-8 YO) Rookie Tackle • Xman: None • Older/Lighter: None • 10U (8-9-10) • Xman: 95 lbs • Older/Lighter: 11YO 85 lbs • 11U (9-10-11) • Xman: 110 lbs • Older/Lighter: 12YO 100 lbs • 12U (10-11-12) • Xman: 130 lbs • Older/Lighter: 13YO 115 lbs • 14U • Xman: 165 lbs • Xman definition • Can only play on the line. Offense – Tackle to Tackle. Defense – End to End. • Focus is on player safety • Minimum 4 teams per division across leagues

League Information • Player Evaluation and Team formation • June 8th & 15th – Evaluation Days • Combine Style event. • Players are evaluated in an effort to create balanced teams. • All players are expected to attend. All ages. • 14U – If you do not attend you will be ranked “higher” when it comes to team formation • Joint evaluation with PJFL (and possibly FFL) • 2-week camp – 12U and below • All players for the divisions mentioned will participate in a joint camp. • All coaches from each division will work with all the players. • Focus on conditioning, heat-acclimatization, and fundamentals. • USA Football Heat-acclimatization guidelines • No two-a-day practices • Practice days 1 and 2 – Helmets only. No full-contact drills. • Practice days 3 and 4 – Only Helmets and Shoulder pads. No full-contact drills. • Practice days 5 and 6 – Full pads. Full-contact allowed • Team Formation/Draft • 14U Draft – July (Date – TBD) • 8U, 10U, 11U, 12U – Following 2 week camp • Process • All players are ranked. • Teams are formed using a “snake” draft of ranked players. • Coaches pull a team out of a hat • Swap for coach’s kids

League Information • Team Practices • Tues, Wed, Thurs – 2 hours (time slots will vary) • 14U – Start July 23rd or July 30th • 12U, 11U, 10U, 8U - Start August 6th • Locations: Independence Park, Max Baer Park, Livermore High School • Jamboree – August 24 • Opening Day Ceremonies • Scrimmages • Fundraisers • Location: Robertson Park • Games • Saturdays starting September 7th • Regular season runs through October (7-8 regular season games) • Playoffs start late October and run into November • All Stars • Teams are formed by age group • One week of practice following championship game • Games the following Saturday

LJFL Football Camp • Sunday June 2nd 5:00 – 8:00pm • $25 registration fee • Free T-shirt at end of event • Refer a new player (First year LJFL player) and get a free LJFL hat) • Player must register and list you as a referral • Great preparation for upcoming season and for Evaluation day • Great Introduction to Football for new players • Group Conditioning, Position Work, Skills Combine • Get exposure to LJFL coaches • Featuring Cooper Sports Performance • Founded by former NFL Defensive Lineman Chris Cooper

Cooper Sports Performance • Training, nutrition, and fitness programs for athletes of all ages. • Specialized training to help competitive athletes reach the next level. • Personal training to help you visualize your success and accomplish your goals • Methodically designed programs for athletes with disabilities • Programs for all sports • Chris Cooper • Nine Season NFL veteran Defensive Linemen with Oakland Raiders, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Seattle Seahawks, and Arizona Cardinals. • Certified in PICP, Charles Poliquin Levels, I, II, and III Sports Performance, PoliquinBioSignature II and Poliquin Program Design.

2019 Changes • New Division Structure • Divide 8U and 10U • Older/Lighter Rules • Age specific • Rookie Tackle • Joint Evaluations – PJFL (possibly FFL) • Joint Evaluation committee • Composed of members from LJFL and PJFL • Will sign off on all rosters • Interleague roster approval • New Coaching selection process • New player evaluation and team selection process • Partnership with StatMed to provide imPACT baseline testing

8U Rookie Tackle • Developed by USA Football in 2017 • Serves as a bridge game between flag football and full-field tackle. • Smaller rosters (6, 7, or 8 variations) • Provides greater coach-to-player ratio to foster individual attention and skill development • Rules modifications • Increase activity and learning • Players rotate positions • Participants rotate and learn multiple positions and skills on both offense and defense.

High School Preparation • LHS and GHS Coaches agree: “The players starting in our Freshman program are the kids who played Youth Football. First year players are getting minutes in the 5th quarter.” • 5th Quarter Program – After the game is over, an extra period is played that does not count towards the score or outcome of the game. It is in place to provide valuable playing time to non-starters. • EBAL has eliminated the 5th Quarter program!! • For players intending to play high school football participation in youth football is more important than ever. • A 2018 study by the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy concluded that three days of training in new head’s up tackling techniques reduced the number of impacts to the head by over 50% and the number of impacts above a threshold by over 73%” • At the youth level the amount of force and momentum is considerably less • Momentum p = mv • Force F = ma • The Youth level is a safer environment for athletes to learn techniques and how to protect themselves

Player Safety • The most common concern parents have related to youth football is concerns over injury • Player Safety is the primary focus of LJFL • Partnership with USA Football is about safety • Founded in 2002 by former NFL players and coaches with the goal of evolving and growing the sport of football by setting standards and best practices to advance coach and player development. • At the forefront of player safety advancement. • Football is a physical sport • Physical does not mean unsafe • At the youth level the amount of force and momentum is considerably less • Momentum p = mv • Force F = ma • The Youth level is a safer environment for athletes to learn techniques and how to protect themselves • Evolution of football – Substantial changes in the game related to safety over the past 15 years (not the same game) • Football has been extremely proactive in making changes related to safety, more so than any other sport. • Concussion awareness, testing, and protocols • Changes to how the game is taught • Changes to rules • Changes to equipment

Youth Sports Statistics • Poll – What sports do your children play? • Which youth sport has the highest rate of concussions? • Girls Soccer • A 2017 study by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons found that girls have a significantly higher concussion rate than boys, with female soccer players suffering the most concussions – even compared to football players. • According to a 2009 study by the CDC how much greater was the rate of injury for children ages 5-14 in football vs baseball? • 10% • 3% • Among athletes ages 5 to 14, 28% of football players and 25% of baseball players were injured while playing their respective sports • Which youth sport has the highest rate of fatalities? • Baseball • A study by Stanford Children’s Health based on statistics from 2009 from the Consumer Product Safety Commission show baseball has the highest fatality rate among sports for children ages 5-14, with three to four children dying from baseball injuries every year • Which sport has made the most changes to improve player safety in the past 10 years? • Football • In 2018, NFL player concussions dropped 29% during the 2018 season 15% Baseball was higher

Football Safety Advancements Over the Past Decade • Concussion awareness, testing, and protocols • Changes to practice structure to accommodate heat acclimazation and prevent injury • Changes to how the game is taught and played • Changes to rules to enforce new techniques and limit injuries • Changes to equipment

Concussion Awareness • Concussion Awareness • A solid understanding of concussions and their impact on the brain was developed in the decade between 2000-2010. • Concussion, a type of traumatic brain injury, is caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head. Concussions can also occur from a blow to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth. • Most athletes with a concussion will recover quickly and fully if the concussion is treated properly. Some athletes need longer to heal. • If an athlete has a concussion, his or her brain needs time to heal. A repeat concussion that occurs before the brain recovers from the first can slow recovery or increase the chances for long term problems • Prior to this understanding, athletes would often treat a concussion as “getting their bell rung” and would “shake off” a concussion and return to play immediately. This is the worst thing they could have done. • It is this knowledge that has led to all sports implementing new concussion awareness and treatment protocols over the past decade. • All youth sports have evolved as a result of concussion education and awareness.

Advances in Concussion Recognition and Treatement • Concussion Awareness & Recognition • All LJFL Coaches are certified in the CDC Heads Up Concussion Training and USA Football Concussion Training • LJFL Coaches and personnel are trained in how to recognize a potential concussion. • Always err on the side of caution and remove a player from play. • Treatment & Return to play • LJFL requires a medical release for a player to return to play after a suspected concussion. • Concussion Baseline Testing • Neurocognitive testing that provides a baseline result. If an athlete sustains a head injury they can retake the test and compare the results to the baseline to determine if they are recovered and ready to return to play. • imPACT Test • Previously only available to pro athletes. • Approved by FDA in 2016 • LJFL is partnering with StatMed to provide heavily discounted concussion baseline testing. • Dr. Mooney – Concussion Medical Director, StatMed • If you have already done a baseline test for another sport you do not need to do another.

Changes to Practice Structure • USA Football Guidelines for Heat Acclimatization • Goal: Eliminate exertional heat stroke (EHS) • No two-a-day practices • Practice days 1 and 2 – Helmets only. No full-contact drills. • Practice days 3 and 4 – Only Helmets and Shoulder pads. No full-contact drills. • Practice days 5 and 6 – Full pads. Full-contact allowed. • No more than 2 hours of practice time a day. • Cool-down periods and rehydration periods are scheduled into the practice plan an are adjusted based on environmental conditions.

Changes to Practice Structure • USA Football Guidelines for Contact • Goal: Reduce injuries • “Full contact” consists of both Thud and Live Action drills. • Preseason - Coaches are limited to no more than 30 minutes of full-contact per day and no more than 120 minutes per week. • Regular Season – Coaches are limited to no more than 30 minutes of full-contact per day and no more than 90 minutes per week. • Game plans should be designed with the level of contact for each drill specified.

Player Safety • Several changes to how the game is taught and played have been made to make the game of football safer and to “take the head out of the game” • New Tackling Techniques • Rugby style tackling (Hawk tackling) • Old technique – Head in front on angle tackle • New technique –Head behind (cheek-to-cheek), lead foot focus, wrap and roll.

Player Safety • New Tackling Techniques • Head’s up tackling • Old technique – Put helmet in opponents chest. Lead with the crown of the helmet. • New technique – head up, to the side, shoulder/chest is first point of contact.

Player Safety • New Tackling Techniques • Head’s up tackling • A 2018 study by the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy concluded “Training in a head up tackling style decreased the number of head accelerations experienced by tacklers”. • Furthermore, the same study showed that three days of training in head’s up techniques reduced the number of impacts to the head by over 50% and the number of impacts above a threshold by over 73%”

Player Safety • New Blocking Techniques • BLAST – Base, Long, Ascend, Square, Triangulate • Old technique – Three points of contact: each hand/arm and the face/head • New technique – Strike with hands, uncoil hips

Player Safety • Hits to the head are also being removed from the game through new rules • Targeting Rules at all levels of football • Targeting – “The act of taking aim and initiating contact with the helmet, forearm, hand, fist, elbow, or shoulders to an opponent above the shoulders with the helmet, forearm, hand, fist, elbow, or shoulders.” NFHS Rule 2-43 • Rule 9-1-3 – Targeting and making forcible contact with the crown of the helmet • NFHS adopted rule 2-43 in 2014 • NCAA Penalty - Immediate ejection and 15 yard penalty • Use of Helmet Rule (NFL) • Lowering the helmet • Initiating contact with the helmet to any part of an opponent. • Penalty – 15 yards and possible ejection

Player Safety • Dangerous hits are being removed from the game • Defenseless Player Rule • Rule 2-27-14: A Defenseless Player • A player in the act of or just after throwing a pass • A receiver attempting to catch a forward pass … or one who has completed a catch and has not hade time to protect himself … • A player on the ground • A player obviously out of play • A player who receives a blind side block • A ball carrier in the grasp of an opponent and whose forward progress has been stopped. • A quarterback after a change of possession • A ball carrier who has obviously given himself up and is sliding feet first. • Rule 9-1-4 – Targeting and making forcible contact to Head or Neck area of a defenseless player • Conclusion: By teaching newer, safer techniques, and making older, unsafe techniques illegal, football is forcing players to change how they play the game, which is making the sport safer. • Evidence: In 2018, NFL player concussions dropped 29% during the 2018 season. Players are playing into their 40’s. • We haven’t even fully seen the effects of these changes

Player Safety • Equipment Advancements • New Helmet companies • VICIS – Founded in 2013 • Xenith – Released first helmet in 2009 • New helmet technologies • Helmet testing and verification

Fundraisers • Snap Raise • Goal – New Riddell Speedflex helmets for 14U division. • Official League Gear • LJFL branded merchandise • Team Specific Merchandise • Orders will be processed in August • Sponsorships

2019 Season Important Dates • Important Dates • May 15 – Late registration deadline • June 2nd – LJFL Football Camp with Cooper Performance Sports • June 8 & June 15th – Evaluation Day • July 23 – Start of 2 week camp • July 30 – 14U practices start • August 6 – Team practices start for lower divisions • August 24 – Jamboree • September 7 – First games

Appendix

Livermore Junior Football League 2019