Conestoga High School’s Football Program Tweaks Tackling Technique to Account for Player Safety

Conestoga High School is among a growing number of schools that have made adjustments in their football programs to address concerns about concussions, writes Michael Bradley for Main Line Today.

The school’s football coaches have turned to their colleague in the athletic department, rugby coach Alex Johnson, to learn the basics of the “Hawk” tackling technique that is popular in that sport. Johnson has been part of the rugby staff for almost 15 years and was able to offer a new perspective on the way coaches teach tackling.

“He showed the coaches and players how to wrap and roll, rather than tackle with direct impact,” said Kevin Pechin, Conestoga’s athletic director.

This change is not exclusive to Conestoga. Nationwide, one of the biggest changes happening in football is the way coaches teach players how to tackle. The days of “low man wins” are in the past, being replaced by rugby-style tackling.

This and other changes have shown positive results all across the field.

“I feel confident that it’s a ton safer than when I was playing,” said Mike Murphy, football coach at The Haverford School.

Read more about football and player safety in Main Line Today here.

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