Player Safety Comes First for Pioneers

The following was provided by the Warminster Pioneers football program:

The Warminster Pioneers announced that Pioneer Athletic Director Ray Savage has recently become certified as a Player Safety Coach under USA Football’s Heads Up Program.  Savage is now certified to teach the Heads Up program to other coaches.

Under the Heads Up program, coaches spread Heads Up Football’s message of concussion awareness,coaching education, proper tackling fundamentals and equipment fitting. This will allow coaches to learn the comprehensive approach to a better, safer game.

The Pioneer coaching staff will take the Heads Up training course on July 28 before football camp opens.  Savage will instruct the other coaches in the principles of the program.

The Pioneers will conduct conditioning/training camps for tackle and flag football teams from July 29 through August 29 in advance of the Sept. 7 start of the regular season. During the camp the players will also be taught the principles of the Heads Up program to play smarter and safer.

“I honestly didn’t know what to expect, and to be honest there’s no way I could have understood the depth of what Heads Up Football is until I experienced it for myself,” said Savage, the Pioneers Player Safety Coach. “I’m excited there is a new way to teach, new information and new approaches to take. It’s really rejuvenated me.”

The clinics are one-day training sessions that include both classroom and on field learning. Player Safety Coaches discuss the program’s goals then go out on the field to learn the drills and techniques by becoming a student of the game as Master Trainers walk them through the process.

USA Football trains Master Trainers, who in turn instruct Player Safety Coaches. Savage will take what he learned and teach the other Pioneers coaches, players and parents the Heads Up Football way.

Including parents from the beginning reinforces that they are part of the process and not just spectators, said Savage.  Parents want to know what their children are learning. They also are important cogs in equipment fitting and concussion education since parents spend much more time with their children than coaches do.

“We had always left it up to the head coaches to inform the parents,” Savage said. “That wasn’t always working. We want to be an association that is more communicative with parents. This will really help us do that.”

The registration period for football and cheerleaders is now open.  Parents of children between the ages of 5 and 15 can register at www.warminsterpioneers.org.