JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – It's one of America's favorite pastimes, but recent injuries and deaths on the football field are raising new concerns. And Duval County public schools are already taking steps to put at least one of those recommendations in place.
Pop Warner, an international youth sports league, reported an almost 10 percent decline in football participation in just two years. The concern centers on serious head injuries that could have long-lasting impacts. Now the American Academy of Pediatrics is issuing new recommendations for youth football.
It's a staple at high schools across the country, but the game of football has taken a hit itself in recent years. A high school player in Tennessee is in critical condition after being injured at a game Friday night. Another player is dead after a game-related injury at his high school in Chicago. His is one of seven football-related deaths reported just this year.
Chris Fuller is a football coach at Wolfson High School and he said he's heard the concerns from parents. Fuller said that his program is working to keep athletes as safe as possible.
"Keeping the game safe. So that's the prime concern about 'how do we keep my child safe when they're on the field?'"
Wolfson athletic director Cindy Talley said Duval County public schools are getting ahead of the curve.
"We currently have five schools now that have full-time athletic trainers, and in the next year or two, we will be getting them in all of our public schools," said Talley.
Having an athletic trainer is just one of the new recommendations coming from the American Academy of Pediatrics. The association encourages trainers on the sidelines for every game, zero tolerance for illegal hits and non-tackle alternatives.
"As a coach, it is extremely beneficial because now we can let the trainers and the physicians be able to make those calls that maybe we don't feel as comfortable making ourselves as a coach, and also to be able to do prevention of injuries, as well," Talley said.
For coach Fuller, the new additions in Duval County are a welcome change, with athlete safety a top priority.
"I feel like they can also-- they'll help the game. They'll get more participation, as well. You might see a new passion for the game to come back in the youth for outdoor sports and even football. So I'm looking forward to greater participatory action and I think it'll be great."
New, more advanced football helmets are also being used to prevent injuries at high schools across the state. The coaches News4Jax spoke with Monday said they welcome any safer alternatives.