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TFA Football Safety

Safety Overview

A good game is a safe game and TFA is working to prevent injury whenever possible.

Keys to injury prevention are:

  • Proper coach training
  • Proper equipment fitting
  • Proper tackling technique
  • Concussion awareness and medical preparedness
  • Fostering an environment of safety appreciation

What is TFA Doing About Safety

With increased scrutiny for football upon us more and more every day, some parents may be concerned with the prospect of their child playing the great sport of football.  Check out some of the things we have done and continue to do to help you make an informed decision:

1. TFA requires concussion training and certification from the CDC (Center for Disease Control) for ALL coaches.  This training is similar to the training and certification that other sports (lacrosse, baseball, basketball, fast pitch softball, soccer, hockey, etc.) require. 

2. TFA provides properly sized and fitted helmets to all players in the organization.  All of these helmets were purchased new and go through a rigorous certification process.  When helmets are issued each year they are properly fitted with the assistance of TFA representatives.  Each year the helmets are inspected and repaired if possible otherwise, they are discarded.  All helmets are retired after seven years. 

3. TFA requires that each coach is USA Football certified through Trusted Coaches.  This training covers many aspects of the game including proper tackling techniques, blocking, practice planning, etc.  This is the same certification used and endorsed by the NCAA and the NFL.

4. All coaches must complete and pass a criminal background check prior to the season starting.

5. All coaches attend mandatory coaches’ meetings with the TFA leadership and high school coaching staff where age appropriate drills and practice plans are discussed among other coaching goals for each grade level.

6. TFA plays within the rules of our league - the Lake Minnetonka Athletic Association (LMAA).  The rules are designed to help facilitate a safe game while promoting education, equitable playing time and a fair & balanced playing field .  All referees are scheduled and coordinated through the LMAA, with the goal of: "no 'homer' referees".

7. Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) are at ALL games as a precautionary measure.

 

 

The Football Decision...

....AN EXPLORATION INTO EVERY PARENT’S DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO LET A CHILD PLAY CONTACT SPORTS

If you are interested, below is a link to a presentation by Dr. Uzma Samadani, Neurosurgeon HCMC and MN VA Medical Center and Associate Professor of Neurosurgery at University of Minnesota, Rockswold Kaplan Endowed Chair for Traumatic Brain Injury Research at HCMC. She authored The Football Decision: An Exploration Into Every Parent’s Decision Whether Or Not To Let A Child Play Contact Sports

Below is her presentation regarding The Football Decision

What Parents Need to Know About Concussions in Kids’ Sports

What Parents Need to Know About Concussions in Kids’ Sports BY KATHLEEN RAVEN, AUGUST 14, 2019

I'm a Brain Scientist and I Let My Son Play Football, Dr. Peter Cummings

A Fact Based Look...from a forensic pathologist and a neuropathologist.

New for 2022 Tackle Football...

In 2022 for grades 4-8, every team in Tonka Youth Football will have access to this technology.

About the book...

When post-concussion syndrome forced star NFL running back Merril Hoge into early retirement in 1994, research on football-related head injuries wasn’t a priority. At the time, football was heavily influenced by a tough guy culture, and little was known about concussions and their potentially dangerous effects. Then the tragic death of Hoge’s ex-teammate Mike Webster in 2002 launched a wave of fear after an autopsy determined he suffered from an obscure brain disease—chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). The media pounced. Concern over player safety soon became a war on football at every level, with one scientist even declaring youth football “child abuse.” In an effort to set the record straight, Hoge and board-certified forensic neuropathologist Dr. Peter Cummings explore the hidden agendas and misinformation fueling the CTE hysteria machine. Armed with extensive research, critical insight, and expert interviews, they address some of the common myths surrounding the disease, examining significant flaws in the often-cited studies and exposing the sensationalistic reporting that dominates today’s CTE dialogue. Compelling, accessible, and ultimately revelatory, Brainwashed exposes the biases and unsubstantiated claims crippling true scientific advancement in the area of CTE research. This is a must-read for anyone who cares about the future of youth sports and the survival of our nation’s most beloved game.

Player Safety & USA Football

We do believe football to be one of safest contact sports because of the quality of protective equipment, modified rules, player and coach safety training, and controlled practices.  To help educate our coaches and our players, we follow the rules and regulations of USA Football. The following links will provide you more education and understanding.