By Phil Knapper – Metro Independent Contributor

With the long-term impacts of head injuries and concussions suffered while playing football becoming better understood, the teaching aspect of tackling has become more important than ever.

Collinsville High School Head Coach John Blaylock, who has been around Collinsville football for 26 years and coached from the 5th grade level through high school, has seen the injuries firsthand.

“We haven’t had any catastrophes, but we have had a few concussions,” he said. “What we do won’t take it out completely, but teaching the correct technique will help tremendously.”

The correct technique will be on display this week at the Jr. Kahok football camp in Collinsville.

“We need to get back to the days when we used our shoulder pads to tackle,” Blaylock said. “Like they did when the players wore helmets without facemasks — the old leather helmets.”

The greater awareness of the effects of head injuries has prompted rules changes from the IHSA, NCAA and NFL. One of the most recent changes is a “targeting” rule introduced by the IHSA for 2014.

“Targeting is an act of taking aim and initiating contact to an opponent above the shoulders with the helmet, forearm, hand, fist, elbow or shoulders,” Rule 2-43 states.

The rule will help protect Kahok players, and reinforces instruction already given by Blaylock and his staff.

“We teach the kids to put the facemask on the ball and use their shoulder pads to make the tackle.”

Blaylock said that even the best technique does not completely eradicate injuries.

“The concussions and head injuries are down, but we have had more shoulder injuries,” he said. “So we upgraded our shoulder pads to help.

“And I would say parents of players would make the trade for a shoulder injury instead of a head injury any day. You don’t want anyone to get injured, but injuries are an unfortunate part of the game. Teaching the proper technique from the earliest level on is the best way for kids to be prepared — it’s our job as coaches to do that.”