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“They kept asking me when’s going to come, when is he going to come,’’ Anderson said. “They’ve come a long way since week one. They’ve been getting better and better.”
Goodell visited the Fairfield Giants practice Wednesday as part of a new program developed by USA Football and supported by the NFL to enhance player safety in youth football. The Giants are the only team in the Southern Connecticut Pop Warner Conference to participate in Heads Up Football. The approach includes education and certification, concussion awareness, equipment fitting, “heads-up tackling” and player safety coaches.
The program started in several pilot cities last year. Goodell's visit to Fairfield was the first time he has seen young players trying the new procedures on the East Coast.
“We have to do it with our players,’’ Goodell said when he talked to parents of the Giants players. “The coaches to have teach our players the right way.”
Player safety has become of increasing concern in the NFL. If players learn proper techniques at young age, that will reduce the potential for injury as the players become bigger, faster and stronger.
“You always worry that when it comes to the game, they’ll forget about what they learned,’’ Anderson said. “If they learn at a young age, then they’ll play safely throughout their whole career. It’s easier to teach the younger guys than some of the older players who have already been taught a different way.”
The training extends to the coaches as well. All of the Giants coaches had to take a four-hour test as part of the certification process. “We had to learn new methods,’’ Anderson said. “We were doing a lot of it already, but it’s different terminology.”
Goodell visited all of the Giants teams at Sullivan Field to watch them practice new techniques. He took questions from parents and is serious about bringing safety to the professional game.
“You have to see what you hit, that’s the most important thing,’’ Goodell said. “The other thing is to use the shoulder. Don’t use the helmet. The helmet is there for protection. It’s not a weapon.”
Goodell also encouraged parents to tell children to sit out if they feel they’re injured. “You have to make sure the kids understand,’’ he said. “They can’t be afraid to raise their hand if they have a question.”
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