MBA youth football stresses safety, sees program grow

The Mountain Brook Athletics youth football program has a success story to share this fall.

About 235 players are taking part in the program this season, which climaxed with the crowning of champions for all four grade levels — third, fourth, fifth and sixth — at the annual “Spartan Bowl Sunday” at Mountain Brook High School on Nov. 1.

The number of players participating in youth football this season is up nearly 20% over 2019, said league Commissioner Dave Wood, who called the growth “amazing.”

The growth occurred despite COVID-19 and the parental concerns about concussions and other injuries.

Those concerns have reduced participation in youth tackle football in recent years in Mountain Brook and in other communities throughout the United States.

However, MBA has worked hard recently to address safety issues and allay the concerns of parents.

This is the second year of new safety protocols in MBA Youth Football, including the use of Guardian helmet covers, pads that are worn over football helmets to reduce both impact and injury risk.

Mountain Brook High School head football coach Chris Yeager and Mountain Brook Junior High head coach Derek Jones are also helping teach the players solid fundamentals.

“I’m convinced that their involvement is directly related to our program’s growth,” Wood said.

“They train our coaches in the pre-season and offer up all their resources, knowledge and advice whenever we need it,” he said.

The 2020 season began with evaluation and practices in August. The first game of the season for all grades was Sept. 12.

The regular season ended Oct. 17, and playoffs were held the week of Oct. 19.

The third, fifth and sixth graders play seven regular season games and a playoff game, and two teams play for the championship at Spartan Bowl Sunday. They play their games at Crestline Field on the weekends and at MBHS Stadium during the week.

Fourth graders play nine regular season games and two playoff games, and two teams play for the championship. They play at Mountain Brook Elementary.

There are a total of four teams in third grade and six in fourth grade, Wood said. The teams field nine players at a time.

There are four teams in both fifth and sixth grades, he said. The teams field a full 11 players at a time.

Organizers said that keeping the teams small, with only 10-13 players, allows MBA to play a league within the community.

In addition, with only 4-6 teams per grade, MBA has “the ability to control the locations, format, game times and rules,” said Shannon Diddell, who serves as league president.

This control also allowed the league to start using the Guardian covers in both practices and games to make them safer, Diddell said.

MBA youth football also offers interesting opportunities for players.

“Our format also allows for more kids to experience positions they otherwise would not on larger city teams, which in the long run is just as important to growing numbers,” Diddell said.

Running youth football is a large undertaking.

There are more than 50 volunteer “non-dad’’ coaches, 18 team  commissioners and one league commissioner, Wood said.

“We also have at least one athletic trainer from UAB present at all games being played,” Wood said.

Per team, there are typically two or three non-dad volunteer coaches, one dad as a team commissioner and one dad as a team safety commissioner.

The league is taking precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Players and coaches wear masks or face coverings, and spectators are asked to maintain social distancing and/or wear masks or face coverings.

“We have increased the depth of the coaches box on the sidelines during games and we have designated areas for cheerleaders so that we can keep as much separation as possible,” Wood said.

League officials are proud of its recent efforts to improve safety.

In 2018, MBA had five documented football-related concussions, but only one in 2019 — the first year that the Guardian helmet pads were required in both practices and games.

“One is still too many, and we are constantly looking for ways to improve,” Wood said.

However, the Guardian covers are “only part of the answer,” Wood said.

“This community’s commitment to finding these answers and evolving — as evident with the Guardians — is what really makes players and parents feel safer about playing this great sport.”

The training provided by Yeager has been critical, as well, Wood said.

Yeager and his staff use visual aids, video and hands-on demonstration to train volunteers and commissioners in the fundamentals for blocking, tackling and contact drills, he said. 

“He watches our practices and games every chance he gets,” Wood said. “He truly is the most servant-hearted coach and man I have ever had the opportunity to be around. What he teaches and practices goes way beyond the sport of football.”

Organizers are particularly excited about the big uptick in player participation this year given the decline in numbers in recent years.

According to data provided to Village Living in 2019 by MBA Executive Director Brad Hart, the number of boys who registered to play fell from 277 in 2015 to 187 in 2018 — a 31% drop.

Mountain Brook was not alone.

A 2019 analysis of registration data conducted by the Hoover Sun, Village Living’s sister publication, found that Hoover’s youth tackle football program experienced a similar 47% participation decline from 2011-18.

There were concerns that youth tackle football was a dying sport.

“About a year ago, we really felt like we may even lose the football program as it exists right now,” Yeager told Village Living in 2019.

But there were signs of hope last season, when tackle football in the city saw a slight uptick in participation for the first time in a decade.

In addition, leading into the 2019 season, MBA made a concerted effort to publicize youth football registration and highlight safety improvements.

Those efforts seem to be paying off.

The organizers are “very excited” about the future of youth football in the city, Wood said.

The league has great leadership, players, parents, volunteers and fans, he said.

For more information, go to mbathletics.website.sportssignup.com.