Redmond High’s Jason Rimkus and his football coaching crew feel they’re on the cutting edge of safety.
Mustang head coach Rimkus was a familiar face at the University of Washington in the offseason, talking with fellow coaches about the game and discussing the danger of concussions.
Along with other 4A Kingco squads, Redmond is focusing on being a shoulder-tackling team with players’ heads following behind the initial impact on an opposing player.
“We brought in three national rugby players and coaches, and they spent two days with our kids in June teaching them how to play rugby and tackle like rugby players,” Rimkus said. “The head is behind. The strike zone where you tackle is lower.”
Rimkus said his players have been receptive to the new style of tackling, which is how the Seattle Seahawks are taught to deliver the boom on their foes.
“It adds credibility (when they’re) teaching it at the highest level,” Rimkus said. “You’re taking the head out of the game. We try to be ahead of the curve as soon as we could.”
The Lake Washington School District (LWSD) is also standing tall for player safety by implementing a comprehensive program aimed at reducing and managing concussions among high school athletes in the district. They will focus on athletes in all sports, with the focus on football, where players have a higher risk of suffering concussions.
On Aug. 17, LWSD coaches received USA Football-developed “Heads Up” concussion training, and the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association is requiring training from here on out.
The program also includes separate neurocognitive testing that can help determine if an athlete is concussed, and replacing all football helmets that have lower protection ratings. Citing Virginia Tech’s research that revealed differences in concussion risk depending on helmet type, all new LWSD helmets purchased in the future will be five-star helmets with optimum protection.
“As doctors and scientists have learned more about the effects of concussions, it has become clear that we need to put more protections in place for students most at risk,” said Dr. Traci Pierce, superintendent. “We want to approach this issue from a prevention standpoint first as well as appropriately managing concussions that do happen.”
“Heads Up” training will also include the district holding meetings for football players’ parents, who will learn more about concussions and what to do if their student suffers a concussion. Schools will also communicate with parents of players in other sports about concussions throughout the school year.
LWSD is also instituting a program of neurocognitive testing of student-athletes, using the ImPACT program. In conjunction with Children’s Hospital, testing will begin this fall with football and girls soccer, and other sports will be added in the winter and spring.
