Schools to vote on football contact, pads proposal

The IHSA's legislative commission on Tuesday voted in a special session to refer a multifaceted proposal that would include prohibiting schools from allowing full contact or full pads football practices in the summer to the member schools for a vote.

Current IHSA bylaw 3.157 allows for full contact and full pads in the summer once teams follow a certain criteria leading up to full contact and full pads, as well in 7 on 7 competitions.

The proposal being sent out for a vote would prohibit full contact and the use of full pads in the summer, including in 7 on 7 games. Helmets, mouthpieces and appropriate footwear are all that would be allowed under the proposal, although there are provisions within it that would allow for helmets and shoulder pads to be worn if certain practice guidelines are met.

The proposal also suggests time limits for summer practices, both in helmets and shoulder pads and in overall length.

The IHSA Sports Medicine Advisory Committee and the Football Advisory Committee made the proposal, saying it would minimize the risk to student-athletes while allowing for the teaching of appropriate football fundamentals. The proposal provides clear guidelines for practice times, equipment use, and contact, in addition to adding an acclimization period to the summer contact day period.

The ballot containing the proposal will be available to each IHSA member school's official representative online beginning Wednesday and schools have until midnight Friday, April 18 to vote. The IHSA will post the results of the vote on ihsa.org on Monday, April 21.

A full text of the proposal can be found at http://ihsa.org/NewsMedia/Announcements/tabid/93/ID/393/Legislative-Commission-Approves-Additional-By-Law-Proposal-in-Special-Session. aspx