Pop Warner to limit practice contact

espn.com / June 13, 2012

In a move that challenges the longtime culture of America's most popular game, Pop Warner will introduce new rules to limit contact drills to one-third of practice time, and ban full-speed, head-on blocking and tackling drills in which players line up more than 3 yards apart.

The rules will go into effect starting with the 2012 season, when Pop Warner will become the first nationwide league at any level of football to restrict the amount of contact players experience.

Pop Warner is expected to announce the rules Wednesday, after a meeting of its medical committee.

"There are times when people and organizations have to evolve, and this is that time," said Dr. Julian Bailes, a neurosurgeon and chair of the Pop Warner Medical Advisory Board. "For the future of the sport, we need to morph it now and take the unnecessary head contact out of the game. If parents were considering allowing their child to play football, this (move) should assure them."

MORE: http://espn.go.com/espn/story/_/id/8046203/pop-warner-toughens-safety-measures-limiting-contact-practice

Is Pop Warner even necessary? What's wrong with beginning in Junior High? Or even High School? How can a kid develop a skill set for football when their bodies are growing so rapidly? Weigh-in, group ...