Sound Fundamentals

Posted on September 19, 2022 by Jim Tunney Ed.D

On the TunneySide of Sports
September 19, 2022 #918
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After further review…”Don’t do that!” With the preseason now out of the way and the 2022 NFL regular season going strong, you hear coaches still screaming to their players to NOT tackle or block leading with the crown of their helmet. Too many players still drop their heads when they prepare to tackle or block. Hall of Fame Coach Don Shula – 33 years in the NFL – always coached his players to “see what you hit.” Helmet-to-helmet contact is often called “targeting” and is subject to disqualification. Runners will often lower their heads when about to be tackled thereby bracing themselves for the impending blow. This makes it difficult for the oncoming tackler to avoid head-to-head contact.

Many players have suffered life-threatening cervical spine injuries with helmet-to-helmet contact.  For many, playing football becomes out of the question. Football at all levels is full of physical — some say brutal — contact. At the NFL level with the size of today’s players, contact between players does make the word brutal come to life. All sports that involve contact have that risk and perhaps risk even disability. The NFL constantly conducts tests to determine how to better protect its players. In 2022 (even earlier behind the scenes) the NFL has put into use a protective headgear that fits inside the helmet to further reduce the physical impact of contact.

I belong to (was inducted into) the NFL Alumni “Order of the Leather Helmet.” That sounds funny today, but I did wear one in high school. Leather helmets didn’t provide much protection from blows to the head. So most players avoided using their heads for contact and thereby tackled and blocked with their shoulders. That’s why “see what you hit” still makes a lotta sense.

Enter Riddell, the maker, and supplier of today’s plastic football helmets. All NFL teams use the Riddell helmet. To Riddell’s credit, they are working feverishly to improve the inside of their helmets to reduce the impact of any blow. I fail to understand why a player slaps his teammate’s head to congratulate him for a touchdown, catch or sack. Every time the head moves the skull inside the head moves, causing the brain to contact the inside of the skull.  That is why the continuous improvement of the inside of the helmet is important. Football is here to stay. Let’s do all we can to reduce injuries.

Will you encourage others to play sports safely and wisely?

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Jim’s Bobblehead is still available for $30. He has added one of his books (your choice – you pick one from his website www.jimtunney.com) at no extra charge. 

Shop here.

To contact Jim, go to www.jimtunney.com  or email jim@jimtunney.com.

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Teacher As a Coach

Posted on September 12, 2022 by Jim Tunney Ed.D
Teachers as Coaches - TunneySide of Sports

On the TunneySide of Sports
September 12, 2022 #917
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After further review… As we begin this school year with our young people back in their seats, the question becomes can we as parents and teachers be more tolerant and understanding of their emotional needs after the long years of pandemic causing such havoc?

As a school principal, I have often reminded classroom teachers that they are coaches as well as teachers. I raised four young people in my early days as a parent – well, I should say their mother did most of the day-to-day teaching as I was all too often in the classroom or on the field raising/teaching other people’s children. I’ve had to remind myself that all children are not the same.

While the coach on the field/gym may have one or two assistants to divide up the
teaching responsibilities, the classroom teacher is often left to herself to deal with
30-40 in that classroom. How do you teach in that environment and help each
student work toward their potential?

Perhaps it is like you as a parent? Parents must decide what is best for their children. It is important to remember that each child is unique and will grow to their own potential if given the proper guidance and support. By providing a loving and nurturing environment, parents can help their children reach their full potential.

As a coach on the field or in the gym, not all players are quarterbacks or leaders. Some are linemen of supporters or followers. It was my major responsibility to learn all I could about each one’s strengths and/or deficiencies and build on their strengths as well as help them improve any deficiency they may have. That’s where my coaching experience helped me in the classroom. I felt if my team lost, what could I do to improve a player’s weaknesses for the next time i.e., the next game?

I felt if my team lost due to a failure of a player or players, it was my job to help that player or players for the next time. This is where the teacher versus coach comes in. If a student is failing a test in my class, what can I do to help that student for next time?

Question: Is it the teacher’s fault when a student fails? Will you ponder that question in light of a coach whose team loses a game?

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Jim’s Bobblehead is still available for $30. He has added one of his books (your choice – you pick one from his website www.jimtunney.com) at no extra charge. 

Shop here.

To contact Jim, go to www.jimtunney.com  or email jim@jimtunney.com.

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Schools are back and so are sports!

Posted on September 5, 2022 by Jim Tunney Ed.D
On the TunneySide of Sports
September 5, 2022 #916
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After further review… For more than 40 years I’ve looked forward to this time of year as schools were starting after a long — sometimes it seemed short — hot southern California summer and that meant football season and Friday night lights were back. After graduating from Occidental College and beginning a high school teaching career, I began a football officiating career as well which concluded in 1991 when I retired from the NFL. When I started, I never thought of professional football, let alone college officiating. For me, high school officiating was exciting and financially rewarding – even though it was low-paying. ($12.50 per game).

Today, every week in our local newspaper, yes – we still have those, there are high school football results as well as other high school sports scores. I am sure in your community it’s the same. Unfortunately, following these scores is an article titled “Officials Needed.” NASO (National Association of Sports Officials) reports that this is happening in most communities in our country. The reasons given are “low pay” and “abuse of the officials.” Understandable but not acceptable.

Being in the school business as a teacher/coach as well as a principal, I understood that the officials’ paychecks came from the school’s budget. That money had to be raised from somewhere. There were not many “donations” from community organizations — especially in the inner-city where I was teaching. Also, we had to pay 4 officials for football games each week as well as junior varsity and lower-level games. Today the pay, as well as the officiating crews are larger – 6 officials (and more like $60-75 per official) The complaint from officials on low pay is that they find other ways to supplement ones pay.

The abuse issue is understandable as society is much different in today’s world than in the 1950s and 1960s. I don’t think that needs explanation since we see on our nightly news how lack of respect for authority has dissipated in today’s times. Further, it is not just fan disrespect of game officials but also disrespect from coaches and game personnel. Unfortunately, it is widely known that disrespect of officials happens from school personnel and not just fans. There has always been some of that but far more today than ever before. A security force today is needed for everyone’s safety.

Sports is a great teacher of respect. Coaches and parents can get respect for authority across perhaps better than anywhere else– and they do. I want to leave you with the thought that most do. It’s only a few exceptions that seem to fail in this regard.

Will you “stand tall” with your moral compass to enforce respect for authority?

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Jim’s Bobblehead is still available for $30. He has added one of his books (your choice – you pick one from his website www.jimtunney.com) at no extra charge. 

Shop here.

To contact Jim, go to www.jimtunney.com  or email jim@jimtunney.com.

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