Rules Limit Indiana High School Football Contact Practices

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) — Indiana high school football administrators have created a rule that limits contact during practice to twice a week.

The Evansville Courier & Press reports that the Indiana High School Athletic Association and Indiana Football Coaches Association created the rule for the upcoming season's practices, which begin Monday.

The IHSAA prohibits full-pad contact at practice until Thursday, and such practices will be limited to twice per week after the first game.

Mater Dei High School coach Mike Goebel said the new rule's intent is to address overall safety concerns, particularly concussions.

He says that the number of contact practices per week used to be up to the coach's discretion. He added that the new rule doesn't change his team's routine, as they already limit contact practices to twice a week.