I live and work in a small rural-suburban community. Everyone here works hard for what we have and we all love our town. Unfortunately because we're such a small town, funding is not always available for things like sports, band, and the arts. We do a lot of fundraising for our extracurriculars, but sometimes this isn't enough. This is why schools and school boards ask for their towns to pass educational tax levys.
Like many of my fellow Americans, I get a little testy when the government wants to raise taxes and take my money. School levys are a different beast. In this day and age, when schools need money, it is to fund programs that are important to enriching our children's lives, like sports, music, and the arts. Sure, our government leaders don't need any more money in their pockets, but our schools do.
Kids who love their town like mine do return after they graduate from college and make careers and raise families where they grew up and went to school. They are what keeps small towns like mine growing strong and thriving for the future. Sadly, without funding for extracurricular programs like sports, not to mention general funding to pay teachers and offer specialized classes, these kids won't make it out of high school with the necessary advantages they'll need to not only go to college, but to go on and succeed in life.
Where are we without sufficient funding for education and after school programs? How much better are we than a developing country? As Americans, we've long enjoyed being a super-power, partially based on our high class education systems, but this has been dropping at a frightful rate over the last 20-30 years. What will happen in 15 more years when no child has gotten the experience of learning an instrument in school or taking the field to learn teamwork and responsibility with a sports team? After we cut music, the arts, and sports, what will we cut next? English? Foreign language classes? Science?
Between budget cuts and levys not passing, the education system in our country is in sad shape. Whatever happened to "no child left behind?" By cutting funding for programs essential to the enrichment of our children's lives, we are leaving every child behind. If we lose enough money, we may as well plant the golden arches on top of our high schools and teach our youth how to flip burgers and say "Do you want fries with that?" as that will be as far as they're able to go in life.
I have to laugh at voters who stand up and claim to be proud Americans, waving their family values, their patriotism, and the flag in people's faces, yet at the same time executing explosive protests against raising taxes for schools. Our children are the future of our country, but without a good solid education including what our states deem as "extra" or "optional" programs. I find it highly unfortunate that people think buying a new car or a big tv is more important than paying a tax that will give our youth the advantages they need in order to stay ahead in life and become the leaders of tomorrow.
Next time your town is trying to pass a school levy, instead of thinking about what's in your wallet think about what's in your future. One day, the current high school students will be running the show. They will be our mayors, our governors, our legislators, our presidents. By not voting to provide our kids with the proper amount of education that they need, you the voter are hurting not only our children and their futures, but our country, and yourself. Think hard the next time you're faced with a school levy, and make the correct decision. Vote yes, always vote yes.
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Banned From Use: Why I don't allow headgear under helmets
It is steadily becoming more popular for football players to wear some form of head covering underneath their helmets. Some claim it keeps them cooler, others admit to doing it just so they "look cool." It is all well and good for a player to want to look cool on the field, but unfortunately when it comes to wearing things that alter their equipment, it simply isn't safe. Football helmets are fitted specifically to an athlete's head at the beginning of each season. When helmets are given out, most kids are not already wearing their other head gear, and even a fractional addition like a skull cap or bandana can change the fit of the helmet drastically. |
| Skull Cap, manufactured by Under Armour |
Like skull caps, many athletes wear bandanas under their helmets under the belief of keeping themselves cool and keeping sweat out of the eyes. Unfortunately, the bandana like the skull cap can cause the helmet to slip about on a player's head. Additionally, because bandanas must be tied to the head, the knot can often settle underneath the helmet, causing not only discomfort but additional motion on the head, again increasing the risk of concussion or TBI.Is it ever safe to wear head gear under the helmet?
I do have several very specific exceptions to my "no head gear" rule. The first being the wearing of a head covering for religious reasons, and the second being if an athlete has excessive amounts of hair. Athletes with dreadlocks or large poofy hair have a harder time fitting into their football helmets with ease. If you have an athlete with a large amount of hair that does not want to cut their hair for the season, then I do recommend wearing some type of head gear under the helmet, however the helmet must be fitted while the head gear is on the athlete, in order to ensure proper fit.
In all, a skull cap or bandana underneath the helmet is completely unnecessary, equipment altering, and potentially dangerous. Unless an athlete must wear head wear for religious reasons or an athlete has excessive amounts of hair that need to be kept out of the way, any head covering underneath the football helmet should be avoided.
Friday, August 3, 2012
How to Beat the Heat - Tips from 2-a-day camp!
We had a local reporter come by practice last night to do a short story on the team this year, and he also had many questions about what we do here at our school to combat the heat and prevent dehydration and heat illness. After coming in and posting the daily weather, I realized that a blog about what to do to beat the heat wouldn't be a bad idea.
Post the weather daily in a visible, high-traffic area.
Making your athletes and coaches aware of the daily weather conditions is a crucial step in beating the heat. Coaches may decide to adjust practices based on their personal experiences with weather conditions, and athletes may choose to dress differently based on temperature and humidity. I post my weather data right over the scales where the teams weigh themselves in before getting dressed for practice - can't miss it there! If you don't have the time or desire to stand outside with your trusty old sling psychrometer before posting the weather, (honestly, who wants to anymore?) try one of these links. While websites won't give you exact results unless their equipment happens to be on your field, they're a good tool and speed up the process by quite a bit.
The Weather Channel
National Weather Service
Have an action plan in effect before the season starts.
Sit down with your coaches before you start two-a-days and plan out what you're going to do if the heat index reaches certain levels. Where I live, we are always in the "Caution" zone during two-a-days, so we take our normal precautions at that time. Once we pass out of the caution zone, we've established a yellow, orange, red rating system based on the heat index scale. Each color has it's own action and practice plan based on heat guidelines, for example in the "yellow" zone, we start practice in helmets only, and move to shells as it gets cooler as we practice in the evening.
Change your practice times.
My school has switched to evening practices for the first time this year, and let me tell you - it's excellent! While the decision was made mostly based on work schedules and the like, we also took into account the Ohio weather and the steep drop in temperature we have most nights. Starting practice during one of the warmer parts of the day and practicing as it gets cooler has a huge advantage over practicing while it is getting hot - as your athletes heat up, the air is cooling down, decreasing your chances of having someone overheat!
Take longer breaks or shorten practices.
When the heat goes up, so should your water breaks and time between practices. As athletes sweat more, they will need more frequent trips to the water jug to prevent dehydration and heat illness. You can also change two two-hour practices with one break into three one-hour practices with two breaks. This allows you to more efficiently utilize practice time while keeping athletes safe and out of harm's way by allowing them more time to rest and cool down.
Don't go "full pads" if it's too hot.
As easy as this is, many coaches will complain about having to alter how much equipment their athletes are wearing at each practice because it changes what they're able to do during practice. The bottom line is that football equipment is heavy, hot, and doesn't breathe well. If it is above a certain temperature and humidity, it is not safe for athletes to be performing heavy drills in full padding, as they will be unable to cool themselves effectively. Practice can be changed from full pads to just shells, just helmets, or no equipment at all based on relative humidity, and altered as the day progresses.
Have the athletes bring extra dry clothes.
An athlete running around in sweat-soaked clothing isn't cooling their body effectively. Sweat cools your body by evaporating off of your skin, however it cannot do this if it is sopped into your clothing. Having athletes put on fresh socks and shirts between practices can help them cool themselves more effectively when they get back outside.
Wherever you're at, stay cool out there today! Northeast Ohio is standing at a balmy 93 degrees in the shade and 40% humidity - hot hot!
Post the weather daily in a visible, high-traffic area.
Making your athletes and coaches aware of the daily weather conditions is a crucial step in beating the heat. Coaches may decide to adjust practices based on their personal experiences with weather conditions, and athletes may choose to dress differently based on temperature and humidity. I post my weather data right over the scales where the teams weigh themselves in before getting dressed for practice - can't miss it there! If you don't have the time or desire to stand outside with your trusty old sling psychrometer before posting the weather, (honestly, who wants to anymore?) try one of these links. While websites won't give you exact results unless their equipment happens to be on your field, they're a good tool and speed up the process by quite a bit.
The Weather Channel
National Weather Service
Have an action plan in effect before the season starts.
Sit down with your coaches before you start two-a-days and plan out what you're going to do if the heat index reaches certain levels. Where I live, we are always in the "Caution" zone during two-a-days, so we take our normal precautions at that time. Once we pass out of the caution zone, we've established a yellow, orange, red rating system based on the heat index scale. Each color has it's own action and practice plan based on heat guidelines, for example in the "yellow" zone, we start practice in helmets only, and move to shells as it gets cooler as we practice in the evening.Change your practice times.
My school has switched to evening practices for the first time this year, and let me tell you - it's excellent! While the decision was made mostly based on work schedules and the like, we also took into account the Ohio weather and the steep drop in temperature we have most nights. Starting practice during one of the warmer parts of the day and practicing as it gets cooler has a huge advantage over practicing while it is getting hot - as your athletes heat up, the air is cooling down, decreasing your chances of having someone overheat!
Take longer breaks or shorten practices.
When the heat goes up, so should your water breaks and time between practices. As athletes sweat more, they will need more frequent trips to the water jug to prevent dehydration and heat illness. You can also change two two-hour practices with one break into three one-hour practices with two breaks. This allows you to more efficiently utilize practice time while keeping athletes safe and out of harm's way by allowing them more time to rest and cool down.
Don't go "full pads" if it's too hot.
As easy as this is, many coaches will complain about having to alter how much equipment their athletes are wearing at each practice because it changes what they're able to do during practice. The bottom line is that football equipment is heavy, hot, and doesn't breathe well. If it is above a certain temperature and humidity, it is not safe for athletes to be performing heavy drills in full padding, as they will be unable to cool themselves effectively. Practice can be changed from full pads to just shells, just helmets, or no equipment at all based on relative humidity, and altered as the day progresses.
Have the athletes bring extra dry clothes.
An athlete running around in sweat-soaked clothing isn't cooling their body effectively. Sweat cools your body by evaporating off of your skin, however it cannot do this if it is sopped into your clothing. Having athletes put on fresh socks and shirts between practices can help them cool themselves more effectively when they get back outside.
Wherever you're at, stay cool out there today! Northeast Ohio is standing at a balmy 93 degrees in the shade and 40% humidity - hot hot!
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Concussion-proof Helmets - Is there really such a thing?
The number one question I am asked by football parents is "What helmet should my child be wearing to prevent them from having a concussion?" The easy and honest answer is this:
No matter what helmet your child or athlete is or is not wearing, they are in danger of a concussion while playing football, or any other sport.
The long-form answer is a little more complicated. Yes, there are helmets that will protect your child better than others, but no helmet is perfect and every athlete is different. If you're looking for a helmet that will better protect an athlete with a history of serious traumatic head injury, you may consider re-thinking football altogether. Athletes who have sustained traumatic brain injury in the past are significantly more likely to re-injure themselves than athletes who have not suffered a concussion in the past.
For parents who won't let me escape without giving them a recommendation, this year I'm recommending a Riddell Revolution 360 or a Riddell Revo Speed. These make up the majority of what my high school team is currently wearing, though I do have a few students in Schutt DNA's, and a few others in what my students laugh and call "potato helmets" due to their age. I have been around Riddell helmets for over ten years and I personally find them to be some of the best available on the market. The athletes are most comfortable in them, they have a desirable design, and above all consistently have the highest scores in helmet concussion studies no matter what the testing venue.
If your school is like mine and doesn't have the funds to replace all of their older helmets, make sure that you are giving out all of the newer helmets first, and make certain that athletes who are prone to head injury or have a history of head injury are in the higher rated helmets in order to decrease their chances of re-injury.
My other action when asked about what helmets are the safest and best is to point parents and coaches to the Virginia Tech - Wake Forest helmet studies. While these are not the end-all be-all of informational studies, they are an excellent resource for parents, coaches, and medical staff who are looking to educate themselves on helmet safety. The brief-form summary of their findings can be seen to the right (click to enlarge.) My two favored helmets received top ratings for the 2012 study, along with the Rawlings Quantum Plus. The only ratings I tend to disagree with are those for the Xenith X1 and X2 helmets, as I personally find that they do not offer athletes, especially those who have incurred a previous head injury, enough protection from hard contact forces such as head to head, head to ground, or head to knee contacts.
Whichever helmet you choose for your athlete, remember that proper fit is also vital to decreasing the chances of concussion. Helmet technology and proper hitting mechanics can only take safety so far, and if a helmet does not fit correctly the chances of injury skyrocket. Helmets should be snug so as not to move around on the athlete's head, but not so tight as to cause discomfort. The ear holes in the helmet should line up with the athlete's own ears. The front lip of the helmet should fall about one inch or two finger-widths above the eyebrow, and the face mask should come out about three finger widths from the end of the athlete's nose. The chin strap should be snug to prevent movement, but not so tight that it cuts off circulation or causes discomfort.
Stay safe this season, and remember that no helmet is 100% concussion-proof. Always make sure that your athletes are in the best helmet for them, and that they wear a mouthguard at every game and practice!
No matter what helmet your child or athlete is or is not wearing, they are in danger of a concussion while playing football, or any other sport.
The long-form answer is a little more complicated. Yes, there are helmets that will protect your child better than others, but no helmet is perfect and every athlete is different. If you're looking for a helmet that will better protect an athlete with a history of serious traumatic head injury, you may consider re-thinking football altogether. Athletes who have sustained traumatic brain injury in the past are significantly more likely to re-injure themselves than athletes who have not suffered a concussion in the past.
For parents who won't let me escape without giving them a recommendation, this year I'm recommending a Riddell Revolution 360 or a Riddell Revo Speed. These make up the majority of what my high school team is currently wearing, though I do have a few students in Schutt DNA's, and a few others in what my students laugh and call "potato helmets" due to their age. I have been around Riddell helmets for over ten years and I personally find them to be some of the best available on the market. The athletes are most comfortable in them, they have a desirable design, and above all consistently have the highest scores in helmet concussion studies no matter what the testing venue.
 |
| Riddell Revolution Speed |
 |
| Riddell 360 |
If your school is like mine and doesn't have the funds to replace all of their older helmets, make sure that you are giving out all of the newer helmets first, and make certain that athletes who are prone to head injury or have a history of head injury are in the higher rated helmets in order to decrease their chances of re-injury.
My other action when asked about what helmets are the safest and best is to point parents and coaches to the Virginia Tech - Wake Forest helmet studies. While these are not the end-all be-all of informational studies, they are an excellent resource for parents, coaches, and medical staff who are looking to educate themselves on helmet safety. The brief-form summary of their findings can be seen to the right (click to enlarge.) My two favored helmets received top ratings for the 2012 study, along with the Rawlings Quantum Plus. The only ratings I tend to disagree with are those for the Xenith X1 and X2 helmets, as I personally find that they do not offer athletes, especially those who have incurred a previous head injury, enough protection from hard contact forces such as head to head, head to ground, or head to knee contacts.Whichever helmet you choose for your athlete, remember that proper fit is also vital to decreasing the chances of concussion. Helmet technology and proper hitting mechanics can only take safety so far, and if a helmet does not fit correctly the chances of injury skyrocket. Helmets should be snug so as not to move around on the athlete's head, but not so tight as to cause discomfort. The ear holes in the helmet should line up with the athlete's own ears. The front lip of the helmet should fall about one inch or two finger-widths above the eyebrow, and the face mask should come out about three finger widths from the end of the athlete's nose. The chin strap should be snug to prevent movement, but not so tight that it cuts off circulation or causes discomfort.
Stay safe this season, and remember that no helmet is 100% concussion-proof. Always make sure that your athletes are in the best helmet for them, and that they wear a mouthguard at every game and practice!
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