Introducing the TackleBar – A Safer Way to Play Football

Whether it’s based on spectators, participants or just sports betting figures, football is without a doubt one of the most popular sports across Canada and the US. However, as a high-impact collision sport – along with ice hockey – it’s also one of the most dangerous.

Potential injuries have become a major issue for professional athletes, not to mention kids starting out in the game at a youth level. However, the advent of the TackleBar, could provide a safer way to play football, according to advocates.

The dangers of football

By nature, football games involve twists, shifts, leaps and high-speed hits with both sets of players running towards one another. This results in several common injuries, including:

* Knees – Football is one of the leading causes of knee injuries in young people. Knee ligaments and cartilage can be damaged during tackles, with fractures around the knee also common.

* Shoulders – The shoulder is the body’s most mobile joint, meaning it can often be dislocated and separated during a football tackle.

* Head – Concussions are one of the most well publicized football injuries, which occur when the head is hit or suddenly shifts. So, even with protection from a helmet, players can become concussed, causing headaches, dizziness, nausea and blurred vision.

These common injuries have two main issues. Firstly, youth players are at greater risk of injury because their bodies are still developing. A promising player could have his entire career ruined by a serious injury at such a young age.

It’s also a problem for professionals. While injuries are sometimes unavoidable in the NFL and CFL, professional coaches will be even more frustrated if their players pick up injuries in a non-competitive environment. The question is, how do you practice a collision sport and perfect technique without full contact?

The answer could be the TackleBar…

What is the TackleBar?

TackleBar is a product launched by Minnesota-based company, which aims to make playing and practicing football safer, without eliminating the need for technique when tackling.

It comprises a harness with two vertical handles. When strapped to a player, these handles are positioned on their lower back. To make a tackle, opponents need to remove a handle from the ball carrier’s back.

Crucially, they need to do so by wrapping their arms around the player, simulating the key technique in real football tackles. Their head needs to be up, as it would in a real tackle, to see where the harness is and position their arms accordingly. This is what separates it from other safe variants of football, like flag football, which eliminate risk but also eliminate a lot of the skill involved.

Essentially, it allows players to practice the key technique without risking their bodies with the full impact football tackling.

Will it catch on?

TackleBar was promoted at the Nike Coach of the Year clinic in Calgary at the start of March. The company claims that their version of the game is up to seven times safer than other types of football, with the product already used for youth football leagues in 21 US states.

Most importantly, TackleBar has been endorsed by the company’s local team – none other than the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings have used the TackleBar in their Youth Football program, which could eventually lead to other NFL and CFL teams following suit.