Myth and Risk of Live-Contact Summer Football Camps

We have heard it many times. 

Non-Contact blocking at
New York Giants Youth Football Camps

“My son is an experienced tackle football player.  To improve, he needs a full-contact, summer camp experience with live blocking and live tackling.”

We respectfully disagree.

So do hundreds of former NFL players, coaches, parents and young football players associated with Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, New York Giants or Philadelphia Eagles Youth Football Camps.

During the months of June and July, non-contact football instruction is far and away the preferred format.  This applies to newcomers, flag players and even the most experienced tackle players.

Yes, even the most experienced tackle players are far better off training in a non-contact format during the months of June and July.

Here’s why:

June and July are months immediately preceding your tackle football training camp. 

In anticipation of August tryout camps, you should have two goals.

Goal #1:  Be sharp with respect to technique.  Technique is essential to good football and can be perfected in a non-contact format while staying healthy.

Goal #2: Be in top physical condition. 
Your strength, speed and endurance should be at a high point.

Non-contacting running back drills
at Packers Youth Football Camps

What will get you to these goals? 

First, when engaged in summer drills or training, you want to demonstrate perfect technique-- every single time.  This will establish proper muscle memory and develop a consistent technique.

Second, you want to develop speed, strength and endurance without the risk of injury. 

Now June and July are hot weather months. 

Hot weather accelerates fatigue.  Full equipment accelerates fatigue.  The physical battle of live blocking and tackling accelerates fatigue.  And if you are out of shape to begin with, it becomes an even bigger problem.

Consider the unintended consequences. 

First, you cheat and execute poor technique because you are tired, therefore establishing improper muscle memory.

Second, you become more concerned with out-muscling your opponent than executing proper technique.  While you may win that battle, in the long run you have not helped yourself as a football player.  Instead, you have established improper muscle memory.

Chicago Bears Youth Football Camps

Third, with hot temperatures and heavy equipment, you tire and lose concentration.  This significantly increases the chance of injury.   You could twist an ankle, tweak a hamstring or worse.  Injured players don’t make the team.   

So we ask, if you intend to improve your technique and fitness levels in order to enter your camp at full speed, is a live-contact camp worth the risk? 

We say the non-contact format is a much better choice.

Non-contact camps focus exclusively on developing skills and increasing fitness in a safe environment.

In a non-contact format, you recover from drills more effectively and therefore may demonstrate perfect technique during every repetition.   With perfect repetitions, the skills become engrained; you develop muscle memory and advance as an athlete.  Your posture, footwork, head and hand position is perfect every time.  And you are less inclined to cheat because you are focused on your own technique, not the size of your opponent. 

Additionally, you build your speed, strength and endurance with virtually no risk.   At a non-contact camp, you make football moves at top speed.  Again, you are building muscle memory and fitness levels.  The key difference is there is virtually no chance of getting run over, clipped or chopped unexpectedly, therefore suffering an injury that sets you back days if not months.

I hope this helps your decision making for summer football camps.

We will follow up with some testimonials from former NFL players and  coach supporting our position in the next week.


Tom Finks
Pro Sports Experience, LLC


Pro Sports Experience is the official management company of Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles Youth Football Camps.

Chicago Bears Youth Camps:  www.BearsCamps.com
Philadelpia Eagles Youth Camps:  www.EaglesCamps.com

New York Giants Youth Camps:  www.NYGiantsCamps.com

Green Bay Packers Youth Camps:  www.PackersCamps.com

Consider NFL Flag for Football Skills and Thrills!

Your child loves football but “other sport” commitments, age or concerns about tackle contact keep your child out of the game.



Develop non-contact football skills at
Philadelphia Eagles Youth Football Camps.



Don’t give up hope!  Be sure to give NFL Flag Football a try.   It's the non-contact version of football that is experiencing tremendous growth and providing big benefits.

The game is available for kids ages 6 to 14 years old.   

The quality of athleticism and team play is outstanding.

Coaching levels are often on a par with any youth football camp or tackle league.

The local and national championship opportunities match those of Pop Warner.

And the game is lightning fast!

Check out the following links and get into NFL Flag.

FOR VERY YOUNG KIDS:  CHECK OUT NFL FLAG

NFL FLAG CHAMPIONSHIP FOR KIDS AGES 9-11

NFL FLAG NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS FEATURING BOYS AND GIRLS

CHOOSE A GREAT NON-CONTACT YOUTH FOOTBALL CAMPS HOSTED BY AN NFL TEAM

Hopefully, even more than "get back to football," this helps you find a way to "get into football," --the world's greatest team sport!

Tom Finks
Pro Sports Experience, LLC

http://www.prosportsexperience.com/

 


New York Giants Youth Football Camps have over 25 non-contact football camp locations throughout the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut area.  All programs are non-contact and excellent feeders for kids that want to learn to skills for both flag and tackle team football.

 

Predicting the Future for Youth Football Leagues

Injury Concerns Will Grow Youth Football Participation Levels

Yes, the spotlight on concussions and injuries associated with youth football will increase overall participation in youth football.  

Here’s why and how:

Philadelphia Eagles Youth Football Camps

Let’s consider a kid named Hank.  He’s an elite young athlete and 9 years old.  He plays hockey, baseball and basketball and would love to play tackle football.   

Hank’s parents reject tackle as an option.  They are just not comfortable with it.

As an elite athlete and huge Chicago Bears fans, Hank still needs a football fix.  So, Hank joins a non-contact flag football league in his local neighborhood.

Remember, Hank is an elite athlete that was prohibited from playing tackle football.  When he joins this non-contact flag football league, he immediately gives the league some credibility.  It’s like Herschel Walker Herschel Walker going to the USFL or Bobby Hull going to the WHA.  With Hank on board, many of his hockey, baseball and basketball teammates will consider flag football as a cool option, also as their “second” fall sport.  

When Hank’s teammates join, there is suddenly a critical mass of good youth athletes playing in this league.  A suddenly, the coaching quality has improved as athletically competent dad’s support their sons.

Now, just because Hank’s parents rejected football, the flag league got a lot better.  The league demonstrates good football skills and fun. 

Chicago Bears Youth Football Camps

Here’s the kicker:   The huge number of undecided/recreational athletes begin to hear the buzz.  A non-contact flag football league is cool because Hank and his athletic friends play.  It’s not for cowards, these are good tough kids.  And unlike tackle football, flag football has no issues hanging out there like extreme travel, expense or injury issues.  It’s everything soccer is, but a sport America truly loves to play and watch.  

SUMMARY:   Truly dedicated football players aspire to play in high school and college, so they will always choose tackle to make that dream happen.   However, the concerns related to tackle football will increase the number of high quality athletes (and coaching dads) to the non-contact leagues.  This will draw more recreational or “followers” to non-contact leagues because there are not nearly the concerns or impediments associated with choosing tackle football.  

The net result is significant overall growth in football participation as tackle numbers are sustained and non-contact football leagues experience a tremendous increase.  

Of course, managing Chicago Bears Youth Football Camps, Philadelphia Eagles Youth Football Camps, New York Giants Youth Football Camps and Green Bay Packers Youth Football Camps, we hope this is true.   Just watch.  We believe it will happen.

Sincerely,

Tom Finks

Pro Sports Experience, LLC

Official Management Company for Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles Youth Football Camps.



More quality young athletes choosing flag football will draw
more undecided players to non-contact programs.