Mansfield ISD introduces "tackle wheels" to help football players avoid injury

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Mansfield High School football players work with tackle wheels. Photo credit Alan Scaia

Mansfield ISD football players are using a new tool in practice to prevent injury. The district is working with Methodist Mansfield Medical Center to provide students with "tackle wheels."

The Mansfield ISD Education Foundation worked with Methodist Mansfield to provide a total of 24 tackle wheels at every high school and middle school in the district.

Mansfield ISD Executive Director of Athletics Jerod Womack says the wheels allow for more controlled hits in practice, but they do more than just prevent injuries. He says players can learn the proper technique for tackling that will keep their head away from the hit.

"It is very important as we learn how to tackle, especially in our middle school ages, that we have a tool that allows us to strike that object in the proper way to protect the head," he says.

Mansfield ISD Athletic Trainer Andy Starnes says protecting the head and teaching proper tackling technique can reduce concussions.

"We want to do everything we can to keep our kids safe and give our coaches the opportunity to teach the proper technique," he says.

During practice at Mansfield High School Wednesday, students were using the wheels in drills.

"It helps us with the muscle memory because it's a moving target," Senior Saadel Davis Jr. says. "We're just emphasizing that, making sure we're running through the tackle, not just standing there."

Players also say the ability for a coach to roll a wheel in different directions can show them the importance of reacting quickly to a changing play. Davis says that variety can keep players thinking more than just hitting a stationary tackling dummy head-on.

"Working with these wheels simulates game tackling," Davis says. "It's a moving object to keep our heads out of the tackle, making sure we secure it, so it really just helps simulate the game."

Womack, the athletic director, says the partnership with Methodist Mansfield can fulfill the district's mission to provide students the best equipment and training for all sports. He says the tackle wheels allow football players to practice tackling at full speed and without touching another player. He says the wheels at middle schools can help players learn safer techniques when they are first learning the sport.

"We want to make sure we're protecting the head," he says. "We want to make sure we're protecting all the things that come into full-contact. These tackling wheels are a big part of that training."

Methodist Mansfield says the wheels give students the ability to do high-impact training without a threat of injury to themselves or another player.

"The last thing we want is to have an athlete come to the hospital for emergency care," says Methodist Mansfield President Juan Fresquez, Jr. "A big part of the work we do is prevention, wellness, training and supporting these students on and off the field."

Fresquez says Methodist Mansfield works on the sidelines during practice and games to help students with all aspects of their training. When sports begin practice in late summer, he says another focus is on making sure athletes drink enough water.

"These kids are training in full pads many days, getting ready for the games," he says. "That puts a drain on them, not just from the respiratory system but the circulatory system. Dehydration leads to chemical imbalances that really can become very dangerous."

Fresquez says the hospital helps Mansfield ISD provide nutritional and training guidance. He says the medical center helps athletic trainers learn the right techniques to tape and support joints like knees, ankles and shoulders.

"There's a lot of pressure for kids to get back on the field quickly. There are scouts looking at them, and they might have anxiety to get back on the field sooner than they should," Fresquez says. "It's a real problem, and it's a real pressure point for coaches and physicians when you've got students shopping for the answers they want to get to get back on the field. These are things we take very seriously."

He says doctors and therapists at Methodist host training sessions for athletic trainers to show them the variety of tasks associated with the job.

"Cardiologists are teaching what they need to be prepared for in case of a sudden cardiac event. We've got nutritionists who come and speak about the importance of making sure it's not just water but electrolyte drinks as well. We've got orthopedic surgeons teaching trainers how to stabilize an injury and put a joint back in place," he says.

Fresquez says that can also help student trainers see different jobs in medicine that might interest them in the future.

"We take our job seriously because we don't want injuries to occur, but if they do occur, we're prepared to take care of them," he says.

Week One for high school football in Texas is this weekend.

Featured Image Photo Credit: Alan Scaia