WINDBER - The Windber Youth Football League decided this week to switch from tackle football to flag football for elementary school players starting this season.
The decision was made after six years of tackle football and because of concussion concerns.
League vice president Michael Betcher thinks this way kids can learn the game while they're still growing and start tackle football when they are a bit older and can take a harder hit.
"You can still learn the fundamentals, you can still learn the language, you can learn learn the formations in a flag football environment and then move on to play tackle football as they advance physically and they advance mentally," Betcher said.
Windber Youth Football's chairman of the Rules Committee, Ron Mash, supports the decision as both a coach and concerned parent.
"I'd look at my son who is smaller, and I was always afraid he'd get banged up. As a coach, I know their parents. I know their grandparents and I'm also afraid for them now. I would honestly be devastated if anything happened. I call them my kids," said Mash.
Other local football organizations, like the Laurel Highlands Developmental League, plan to stay with tackle football.
Commissioner Tom Feichtel said the elementary level-level kids play tackle football to learn early the right way to tackle and take a hit.
"The philosophy here is that when they go into seventh grade they're more mature. When they're larger, they're going to be able to have that underpinning of proper technique and fundamentals, and that's important," Feichtel said.
Windber Youth Football plans to accept players from other areas whose families prefer flag football.
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