KENNEWICK, Wash. – Football Season is right around the corner and the youth teams are in the process of getting ready to continue or begin a new sport.
But, when it comes to tackle football, many parents can have that misconception that it’s one of the top full contact sports that causes concussions in kids.
The Junior Riverhawks Youth Football Organization’s coach, Rueben Godino, says it’s all about safety and the way a coach trains with the kids.
Coach Reuben says parents can’t enroll their kids into tackle football until they’re in third grade. They teach kids how to properly and safely play on the field before they can transition into tackle football.
“Kids can get a concussion from skateboarding, riding a bike, from walking and falling… it all goes down to coaching and teaching the kids the fundamentals of football,” he explained.
The president of the organization, Karen Fancy-Godino, says they’re dedicated to teaching these kids how to stay safe on the field.
“It’s through these certifications we take and extra classes that we know how to mentally prepare our kids and football isn’t just the physical aspect of it either. It’s a tough sport…any sport is but I think with football you have to be a part of the team because if you don’t do your part on that team…anything could happen,” said Fancy-Godino.
She also explained that kids can start off by playing seven-on-seven, which is a passing league that prepares kids to take the next step into tackle football.
This option gives kids and parents a small peek of what the sport is like and the kids get a few weeks to get used to the gear and helmets.
Coach Rueben says he’s seen kids develop discipline and life-long skills after being a sports coach for over 20 years.
