Nearly 60 elementary school students attended the third youth football camp hosted by Iola High head coach Doug Kerr. The camp ran from Tuesday through Thursday.
“This camp is basically an introduction to try and introduce as many kids into football as possible. Because we have third-graders, this will be their first year,” Kerr said.
He also hopes the camp will leave enough of an impression to boost the Allen County Youth Tackle Football League numbers.
The long-term goal is to get plenty of experienced players lined up to join the high school team, Kerr said.
A national issue that has cast football in a dangerous light is concussions and their effects.
With new information about concussions released almost daily, football has taken the glare of the spotlight.
“I think with the NFL backing and all the money they dumped into it, it’s safer now than it ever has been since the inception of football,” Kerr said.
“The equipment is higher end, the training for the coaches is better now than it ever has been and safety is on the forefront of all the coaches’ minds.”
Kerr said that concussions happened in other sports too.
“If you play baseball, you could get hit by a baseball in the head and get a concussion there. If you trip in basketball doing a lay-up, you could hit your head,” Kerr said. “So, that is something we want to stress to the community. What we are doing up here with the youth league all the way up to the high school is promoting safety.”
Kerr teaches the kids how to tackle from “Heads Up Football,” a nationally recognized program within the youth football coaching fraternity.
Kerr spent more than 45 minutes during one session to focus on proper tackling techniques.
“Everybody in the country is following the same thing now,” Kerr said.
“We are getting the same instruction as what they’re giving the Kansas City (Chiefs). Obviously we’re not at that high of an intensity level, but it’s the same information everywhere.”
The youth league will take registration information when kids enroll for school Wednesday and Thursday at the IHS commons area.
The youth league features teams from Iola, Yates Center, Humboldt, Moran and Garnett.
“It’s a small league and they put it together just to give the kids a chance to see what it’s like before they get to middle school,” Kerr said. “This is my first year having a son, a third-grader, so we’re really excited about learning the game of football.”
Safety is youth football priority
