Openfield Tackling

Question
The question is, what is the proper way to open field tackle in "backyard football", and how should i tackle a man who is in front of me sprinting and i am right behind him--i am afraid I will injure him if i pull him down, is diving the best choice? Thank you for anwsering the question.

Answer
Campbell -

Thanks for the question!  Now before I respond, I have to say that as someone who played backyard football for years, even for a long time after I began playing organized football, I can understand your dilemma.  However, please remember that in this situation, being over a website, I have to be careful what I say due to my responsibility to your safety.  In other words, if I tell you to put your shoulder into him, and one of you gets hurt, I could be held responsible.  So as much as I would like to tell you how I think you should tackle, I really can't.

Now, there are a few things that I can say that might help out.  

First off, about an open field tackle.  Now, in regular organized football as you know, they wear helmets and shoulder pads, right?   Well, those are there for a reason.  And that reason is to protect the body while hitting and being hit.  Players drive their shoulders through the ball carrier.  In back yard football, you don't have the proper padding and equipment, and risk far more chance of injury if you play like someone who has the padding on.  So on an open field tackle, make sure and try to not collide directly into the ball carrier.  Although that works in organized football, you could really get injured.  

As for the situation when you would be running behind the ball carrier, the same thing applies.  You aren't wearing a helmet, so you have to be careful.  You might be surprised to learn that in most cases, it is the tackler who gets hurt on this play, not the ball carrier.  Think about it!  The ball carrier is running, and you have to figure out some way to either entangle or trip him up from behind.  If you dive, you risk a serious threat of getting kicked right in the head!  If you grab his waist, you will end up falling onto his back.  Shoulders get dislocated this way, legs get broken, and knees get torn up.  

Basically Campbell, the key to playing backyard football is to have fun, and be safe.  It isn't worth getting seriously hurt, trust me, I have been there buddy.  SO my best advice for this question is to find ways to pull or drag a player down, instead of colliding full speed in any situation without padding AND supervision!  You might want to play organized football someday, and you won't be able to if you are injured.  

If you do decide to play organized ball, write me back with the same question and I think my answer would be a little different.  Just be smart my friend.  I FULLY UNDERSTAND that playing in the yard in fun, but getting hurt or hurting someone else ISN'T much fun at all.  I am sure you will do well while at the same time stay safe.

Best wishes and be careful!

Coach Perl