Skip to content
CapRadio

CapRadio

listen live donate
listen live donate
listen live
donate
  • News
    • News

    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Race and Equity
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
    News
    • News

    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Race and Equity
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
  • Music
    • Music

    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Eclectic

    • Daily Playlist
    Music
    • Music

    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Eclectic

    • Daily Playlist
  • Podcasts & Shows
  • Schedules
  • Events
  • Support
    • Support
    • Ways to support
    • Evergreen Donation
    • One-Time Donation
    • Corporate Sponsorship
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Giving
    • Legacy Giving
    • Endowment Support
    • Members
    • Member Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • Member Newsletter

    • Fund drives
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
    Support
    • Support
    • Ways to support
    • Evergreen Donation
    • One-Time Donation
    • Corporate Sponsorship
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Giving
    • Legacy Giving
    • Endowment Support
    • Members
    • Member Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • Member Newsletter

    • Fund drives
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
  • About
  • Close Menu
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 
  • State Government
  •  

Less Full-Contact Football Practice In 2015

  •  Bob Moffitt 
Wednesday, December 24, 2014 | Sacramento, CA
Listen
/
Update RequiredTo play audio, update browser or Flash plugin.
Jim Larrison / flickr
 

Jim Larrison / flickr

Next year, a new law takes effect that limits full-contact middle school and high school football practices in California.

Assemblyman Ken Cooley authored the new law and says he hopes it will reduce the number of concussions suffered by young football players.

"The bill bans off-season, full-contact. It restricts full contact during the pre-season -which is 30 days before a high school or middle school season starts. And then during the season itself to no more than two days of full-speed contact -no more than 90 minutes a day."

Parents like Michael Choice say they agree with the idea of limiting contact to the head, but they're worried kids may suffer more head and neck injuries if the time dedicated to full-contact tackling drills is limited.

"Proper technique is not using your head. It's using your shoulders and your arms, lowering your waist and hitting through the body. They're not teaching kids to go ram your head into somebody. Proper technique, your head shouldn't be involved in the first place."

Other parents like Shelley Fish say they fully support the law.

"I'm all for it. I think kids of a certain age shouldn't even have full contact. I think some of these sports are a little bit too rough and I'm all for eliminating contact for smaller kids."

Assemblyman Cooley says the law limits contact that might result in a concussion.

"I think if you want to play football, you've got to be comfortable being in pads and operating and a kid can practice with his pads on all year long. The bill does not restrict that."

It also requires an athlete who suffers a concussion to complete a seven-day "return-to-play" protocol that is being developed by the California Interscholastic Federation, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Academy of Sports Medicine.

The CIF expects to vote on the protocol in January and will likely hold coaches clinics in February.

A licensed health care provider must approve an athlete's return to participate in a practice or game regardless of the sport. The CIF says girls soccer has the second-most concussions of any sport.

According to the Sports Concussion Institute, 22-percent of all sports-related concussions occur during practice.


Follow us for more stories like this

CapRadio provides a trusted source of news because of you.  As a nonprofit organization, donations from people like you sustain the journalism that allows us to discover stories that are important to our audience. If you believe in what we do and support our mission, please donate today.

Donate Today  

    More about New California Laws 2015

  • New California Laws 2015

    Hundreds of new laws will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2015 in California. Capital Public Radio has stories about some of the new legislation and how they impact Californians.

    Related Stories

  • New California Laws 2015

    Monday, December 22, 2014
    Hundreds of new laws will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2015 in California. Capital Public Radio has stories about some of the new legislation and how they impact Californians.

 sportshigh schoolNew California Laws 2015

Bob Moffitt

Former Sacramento Region Reporter

Bob reported on all things northern California and Nevada. His coverage of police technology, local athletes, and the environment has won a regional Associated Press and several Edward R. Murrow awards.  Read Full Bio 

Sign up for ReCap and never miss the top stories

Delivered to your inbox every Friday.

 

Check out a sample ReCap newsletter.

Thanks for subscribing!

Thank you for signing up for the ReCap newsletter! We'll send you an email each Friday with the top stories from CapRadio.

Browse all newsletters

More State Government Stories

AP Photo/Allen Breed, File

Bill to extend time to investigate scams against older Californians advances

March 28, 2023

Most Viewed

A plumber crawled under a house in Los Angeles to do a job and then went missing

California coronavirus updates: Counties with universities saw population increases after students returned from pandemic closures

State may scale down its new home loan program designed to assist first-time homebuyers

Trans Day of Visibility celebrations come to the Sacramento region this weekend

10 new California laws that go into effect in 2023

We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter

Most Viewed

A plumber crawled under a house in Los Angeles to do a job and then went missing

California coronavirus updates: Counties with universities saw population increases after students returned from pandemic closures

State may scale down its new home loan program designed to assist first-time homebuyers

Trans Day of Visibility celebrations come to the Sacramento region this weekend

10 new California laws that go into effect in 2023

Back to Top

  • CapRadio

    7055 Folsom Boulevard
    Sacramento, CA 95826-2625

    •  
      (916) 278-8900
    •  
      (877) 480-5900
    •  Contact / Feedback
    •  Submit a Tip / Story Idea
  • About

    • Mission / Vision / Core Values
    • Stations & Coverage Map
    • Careers & Internships
    • Staff Directory
    • Board of Directors
    • Press
  • Listening Options

    • Mobile Apps
    • Smart Speakers
    • Podcasts & Shows
    • On-Air Schedules
    • Daily Playlist
    • Signal Status
  • Connect

    •  Facebook
    •  Twitter
    •  Instagram
    •  YouTube
  • Donate

  • Listen Live

  • Newsletters

CapRadio stations are licensed to California State University, Sacramento. © 2023, Capital Public Radio. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Website Feedback FCC Public Files: KXJZ KKTO KUOP KQNC KXPR KXSR KXJS. For assistance accessing our public files, please call 916-278-8900 or email us.