Hill Country Youth Football League implements Seattle Seahawks-developed tackling
STAFF WRITER JENNIFER FIERRO
MARBLE FALLS — While area high school football players still have a week or so before they hit the gridiron for summer practices, one group only has a matter of days.
Hill Country Youth Football League athletes going into the grades 2-6 begin practices Monday, July 31, in Marble Falls, Burnet, Kingsland, and Llano.
“(The league) builds the future of football programs (at the high schools),” league commissioner Shawn Lapuszynski said. “It helps promote love and enjoyment of football. It teaches them the love of the game.”
One noted change this season is the implementation of the Hawk tackling form, created by the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks organization. The form emphasizes players leading with their shoulders and moving their heads to one side as they wrap their arms around the ball carrier for the tackle.
“Tacklers will drive and roll,” Lapuszynski said.
The Hawk tackling form is considered safer by USA Football, which is the governing body of which the Hill Country Youth Football League is a member. Part of membership requires a league teaches this tackling form, Lapuszynski said.
“All of our coaches are required to be USA Football-certified,” he said.
The league has 18 members, including Kerrville, Smithson Valley, Canyon Lake, Liberty Hill, Lampasas, and Wimberley, which is new to the conference this year.
In league play, Marble Falls will be a member of Division I’s 5A and 6A category, while Burnet plays in Division I’s 5A. Kingsland and Llano will each play in Division II’s Class 2A and 3A category. The categories follow the University Interscholastic League’s model.
Though Burnet and Marble Falls are in separate categories, the two teams will play each other during the season.
The season begins Saturday, Aug. 26, and runs through late October.
“I’m very proud of the organizations,” Lapuszynski said. “We have the best organizations in Central Texas. They have dedicated individuals.”
Go to hillcountryyfl.com for more information.