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The Wisconsin Football Coaches Association and the WIAA are working together on a proposal that would limit the type and amount of contact allowed at practices both in the pre-season and during the year. Medical advisors to the WIAA have also involved in developing the plans. The proposal could be voted on at Thursday's WIAA Board of Control meeting, or it could be tabled and sent through the WIAA's committee process for further examination and later brought to the Board. 

With heightened understanding and sensitivity of concussions and contact injuries, all levels of football are taking steps to ensure the safety of athletes, and it was only a matter of time before it trickled down to the high school level. Many states have or are looking to institute contact limitations, some more restrictive than those proposed by the WFCA and WIAA. Some states even have government and legislatures getting involved, with limits imposed without involvement of the football community.

The WFCA and WIAA have always been proactive in addressing any issues, and certainly want to avoid a situation where rules are imposed on them by governmental agencies.

It should be noted that many coaches have already instituted some or all of these guidelines and provided very positive feedback in terms of limiting injuries, maintaining player interest and involvement, and increasing/maintaining participation numbers.

The following information went out from WFCA Executive Director Dan Brunner to all head coaches this evening. 

WFCA Letter:

"Coaches,

Members of the WFCA Football Advisory Committee (John Hoch, Al Minnaert and myself) met in Madison with three Sports Advisory Doctors and the WIAA (Dave Anderson and Wade Labecki) to discuss types of contact that can occur during football – just like other states are proposing or are presently doing.  I am writing you to keep you in the loop – this is not written in stone as Wade and one of the doctors are going to compose the official document to approve.  Remember we are always thinking of the safety of the players who participate in our great sport of football.  We feel we have put together a plan that will serve as the National Model for Contact Regulation.  As with Acclimatization, the WFCA and the WIAA are being proactive in providing Contact Regulations to make our great sport as safe as possible.  With all of the negative publicity being thrown our way, we feel this is something we need to get in place and publicize in all of our communities.

Under the Doctors recommendation, we would like to implement these guidelines this Fall (2014).  Knowing that there are WIAA procedures that must be followed, it may not become official till the Fall of 2015.

WISCONSIN HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL CONTACT REGULATIONS

There are five basic types of contact:

Air – Players should run unopposed without bags or any opposition.

Bags – Activity is executed against a bag, shield, or pad to allow for a soft-contact surface, with or without the resistance of a teammate or coach holding the bag.

Wrap – Drills run at full speed until contact, which is above the waist with the players remaining on their feet.

Thud – Same as wrap but tempo is competitive with no pre-determined winner and the players are not tackling to the ground.

Live Competition or Full Contact – Full contact is defined as football drills or live game simulations where live action occurs – game speed where players execute full tackles at competitive pace taking players to the ground.

Note:
-THE FIRST THREE (Air, Bags and Wrap) HAVE NO RESTRICTIONS/LIMITATIONS!
-THE LAST TWO (Thud and Live Competition/Full Contact) HAVE WEEKLY TIME RESTRICTIONS/LIMITATIONS!

Limitations are the following:

Week 1 –Air, Bags and Wrap Only (unlimited) following the Acclimatization Regulations (No Full Pads).

Week 2 – Air, Bags and Wrap are unlimited.  Thud and Live Competition/Full Contact are limited to 75 minutes for the week, besides your scrimmage with another team(s).

Week 3 and beyond -  Air, Bags and Wrap are unlimited.  Thud and Live Competition/Full Contact are limited to 60 minutes/week, excluding the amount of time you participate in games, which is a maximum of two games within a week (ex..JV & Varsity or Varsity & Varsity Reserve) which is the current regulation."