Contact football camps used to be the norm for teams across the country.
That changed recently when the California Interscholastic Federation instituted a no-contact rule for their schools, which in a roundabout way affected Carson High School.
For the past few years, Carson made the short trek daily to South Tahoe High School for the Vikings’ week-long camp. That won’t happen this year because of the new rule.
Instead, coach Blair Roman will go to Whittell High School in Zephyr Cove and bang heads with Douglas and Fallon. Roman said they were hoping to attract a fourth school.
There’s constant concern regarding concussions, and even youth football leagues have limited contact during practice sessions.
Trent Dilfer, a long-time participant in the American Century Championship, feels the NFL game is as safe as ever despite the fact he suffered 14 concussions during his playing days.
“The NFL is doing a lot,” Dilfer said. “There are a lot of programs teaching the kids how to tackle safer; not use their helmets as weapons.
“I feel bad the game is under attack. I think where the game is going and why it will continue to get safer is I think it will move to non-contact during the week at the high school and college level.”
I know I covered both the Raiders and 49ers, and there was little hitting during practice once the regular season started.
“A lot of the studies I’ve seen show that the big issue is the cumulative effects of the head-to-head collisions, especially in the interior lines,” Dilfer said. “It’s not the big-blow hits you see in the secondary, it’s the interior linemen that are banging heads on a Wednesday. Thursday and Friday at practice. If you can eliminate those I think the game gets better.”
Even NBA analyst Charles Barkley, who was part of the conference call, put in his two cents.
“I agree with Trent, you can’t be hitting during the week,” Barkley said. “You can’t be hitting during the week, and I would take it a step further. I wouldn’t let any little kids play football. I wouldn’t let them play until they got to high school at the earliest. That would be my personal opinion.”
Dilfer agreed.
“I think one of the biggest shames is the Texas teams of fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth graders playing contact football,” Dilfer said. “There is no need for it. They are only learning bad habits. They can play flag football.
“Play basketball, run track, play baseball, play golf, play lacrosse. All those other sports are awesome. You can learn all you need to learn from your freshman year in high school. These Little League (football) programs are a travesty.”
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The annual Kick-off Dinner, a fund-raiser for the football program put on by the CHS Fotball Boosters Club, is Aug. 22 at the Marv Teixeira Pavilion at Mills Park.
The event runs from 6 to 10 p.m. Carson City BBQ is supplying the food for the all-you-can eat event. The cost is $25 per person.
There will be live music, raffle prizes and a silent auction. The grand prize is a $1,000 gift card from VISA.
For more information contact Bret Andreas at 530-0096 or Kyme Brown at 721-4137.
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Carson opens the 2015 season against the same team who ended its 2014 season, the Reed Raiders. The game will either be played Aug. 28 at Carson or Aug. 29 at Mackay Stadium. I’d rather see Carson take the home game. You give up the homefield advantage going to Mackay, and Saturday afternoon games historically don’t draw well in northern Nevada.
This game could be the preview to this year’s regional final. Both teams return a lot of key components. Knowing coach Roman, I’m sure he’s already plotting a way to open up the running game, something that was missing in the 21-18 loss last year.