KILLEEN-COVE CHIEFS REGISTER FOR
USA FOOTBALL’S HEADS UP FOOTBALL PROGRAM
Contact information: Dale Seitter, Killeen-Cove Chiefs, (210) 870-8579
The Killeen-Cove Chiefs youth football club is committed to ensure a positive experience and advance player safety this
fall by providing league-wide coaching education and teaching resources that benefit players, parents and coaches through
USA Football’s Heads Up Football program. The Killeen-Cove Chiefs are a member club of the Texas Youth Football
Association.
Indianapolis-based USA Football is the sport’s national governing body and partners with leaders in medicine, child
advocacy and sport to establish important standards rooted in education for the betterment of young athletes.
The Chiefs represent more than 120 players and 30 coaches throughout the Killeen, Copperas Cove and Fort Hood area.
All Chiefs coaches will be trained in Heads Up Football techniques before leading their teams this season. Head coaches
and assistant coaches will complete USA Football’s nationally accredited Level 1 Youth Coach Certification Course, which
includes Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) concussion recognition and response; proper helmet and
shoulder pad fitting; hydration and heat preparedness information from the Korey Stringer Institute; and Heads Up Tackling
techniques for safer play and stronger fundamentals.
The Chiefs will appoint a Player Safety Coach, who will be trained by USA Football at an upcoming Player Safety Coach
clinic. Player Safety Coaches work with league commissioners, coaches, parents and players throughout the season to
provide on-site instruction and mentoring to ensure best practices learned through Heads Up Football are used.
“The game of football is changing, both on and off of the field. It is our job as youth coaches to adapt to those changes and
better prepare our young athletes for success in the future” said Dale Seitter, Executive Director of the Killeen-Cove Chiefs.
“Change is a part of life and it is never too early or late to learn that lesson”.
“The health and safety of every young player is our No. 1 priority,” USA Football Executive Director SCOTT
HALLENBECK said. “We are proud to have the Chiefs join us in leading America’s youth football community through
Heads Up Football. Together, with direction from leaders in medicine and athletics, we are establishing important
standards for the sake of our children.”
Adopted in 2014 by youth leagues and high schools on a national level, Heads Up Football is composed of six primary
elements:
Coaching education
 All coaches within a youth program are trained to teach the game’s fundamentals by
completing USA Football’s nationally accredited Level 1 Youth Coach Certification
Course.
Equipment fitting
 Coaches, parents and players are taught proper helmet and shoulder pad fitting.
Concussion recognition
and response
 Coaches learn and are assessed on CDC concussion recognition and response
through USA Football’s Level 1 Youth Coach Certification Course.
 Parents and players also are taught CDC-approved concussion protocols.
Heat and hydration
 Coaches, parents and players learn heat preparedness and hydration safety measures
from lead experts at the Korey Stringer Institute.
Player Safety Coach
 Appointed by each participating youth organization, this individual ensures compliance
with Heads Up Football’s player safety protocols, including coach certification and
leading safety clinics for coaches, parents and players.
Heads Up Tackling
 USA Football’s Heads Up Tackling technique, endorsed by leaders in medicine and
sport, teaches players to keep their heads up for safer play and stronger fundamentals.
Some of the medical and sport backers of USA Football’s Heads Up Football program include:
 Amateur Athletic Union
 American College of Sports Medicine
 American Football Coaches Assoc.
 American Medical Society for Sports Med.
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Arizona Coaches Association
Atlantic Coast Conference
Big 12 Conference
Big Ten Conference
Boys & Girls Clubs of America
Indiana Football Coaches Association
Korey Stringer Institute
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Maxwell Football Club
Michigan H.S. Football Coaches Assoc.
Minnesota Football Coaches Association
National Athletic Trainers Association
NATA Research & Education Foundation
 National Fed. of State High School Assoc.
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National Football League
NFL Alumni Association
NFL Head, Neck & Spine Committee
Nat’l Interscholastic Athletic Admin. Assoc.
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National Parent Teacher Association
National Police Athletic League
North Carolina Coaches Association
Northern Va. Football Coaches Assoc.
Pac-12 Conference
Pop Warner Little Scholars
Pro Football Athletic Trainers Society
Sport Safety International
Sports & Fitness Industry Association
United Youth Football League
About USA Football: Indianapolis-based USA Football (usafootball.com) is the sport’s national governing body, leading
the game’s development for youth, high school and other amateur players. The independent nonprofit partners with leaders
in medicine, child advocacy and sport to establish important standards rooted in education. USA Football advances
coaching education and player skill development for safer play and positive experiences through athletics.