Heads Up with USA Football

USA Football and the NFL have worked cooperatively to develop and promote the Heads Up Football program to youth leagues around the nation in an effort to change the culture of the sport to be more focused on player safety. Check out this video to get a sense for how the organizations work together to bring HUF to communities:

Coach Riggs asked Joe Frollo, Digital Media and Publications Manager for USA Football to explain the background of HUF and explain the benefits of bringing the program to players and parents in South Dakota. This is his response:

Heads Up Football is a comprehensive approach to a better, safer game. Adopted by more than 1,800 youth football organizations across the nation already for 2013 – including SD Junior Football and Riggs Premier Football– Heads Up Football provides a safer environment for young football players to learn the basic fundamentals of the game.

By learning correct tackling techniques at an early age, athletes build muscle memory and take these skills with them as they progress through the sport. By involving parents in the learning process, Heads Up Football encourages everyone to know the standards, live up to them and engage to provide a great football experience for our youth players. Parents who know their coaches are certified to teach the game can feel confident that their organization is doing it the right way.

Five reasons players benefit from Heads Up Football:
· Coaches who properly teach football’s fundamentals make you a better player;
· Effective, organized practices keep you moving and having fun with your teammates;
· Coaches go step by step to make sure you learn a skill in practice before you do it in a game;
· Coaches aren’t asking you to do something your body isn’t ready to do;
· Good coaches and prepared players are keys to success on game days.

Five reasons parents should feel more comfortable because of Heads Up Football:
· Peace of mind knowing that the coaches are trained to teach football’s fundamentals in the safest possible way;
· Knowledge that coaches have access to an online drills library, film room and practice planner to facilitate teaching and manage practice time wisely;
· Confidence that coaches are teaching age-based instruction that help players reach their potential with drills appropriate to the players’ cognitive and physical skills;
· Assurance that coaches have a better understanding for concussion, heat emergency preparedness and equipment fitting;
· Improved communication between parents and coaches through a positive team environment.

--Joe Frollo

We are very pleased that SD Junior Football made the commitment to becoming a HUF league in the interest of training and safety for area athletes. Riggs Premier Football will be teaching HUF techniques at SD Junior Football Camp, a Non-contact camp, and a Tackling Clinic in July. Athletes who participate in any of these events will be ahead of the game for the 2013 season since they will already be trained in the HUF techniques for tackling and contact. Our staff will also be working closely with SD Junior Football this summer and fall to assist parents and coaches in making this transition. We stand solidly behind the principle that education and proper fundamentals will improve the safety of the sport without damaging the nature of competition.

Contact us with questions about HUF and the camp/clinic offerings in July. And stay tuned for Coach Riggs' interview with South Dakota's NFL Ambassador for HUF, Brian Hansen.

Heads Up with SD Junior Football

Youth leagues have the choice whether or not to get involved with Heads Up Football (HUF) and make the transition to teaching specific fundamentals and certifying their coaches. This year, around 900 youth leagues in the US made the decision to become HUF leagues including SD Junior Football and a youth league in Watertown. Given the practical concerns of certifying all the coaches, and the number of kids involved with SD Junior Football, the transition presented some challenges for SD Junior Football. Coach Riggs asked Ken Sproles, President of the SD Junior Football Board to share his thoughts on why the league decided to make the change and what it will mean for parents and athletes.

What factors went into SDJRFB's decision to become a HUF league?

I think the decision started with the question… What’s best for the kids? It was pretty much a no brainer. We felt that if we can help protect the players and make the game safer, then why wouldn’t we join the HUF program? The HUF program also provides league-wide coaching education and teaching resources that help to ensure a positive youth football experience for everyone involved.

What does this change mean for SD Junior Football? 

The change means that we will be investing more in our coaches than ever before. This year, Head Coaches and 1st Assistant Coaches will be required to become Level 1 certified coaches through USA Football and attend Heads Up Training Seminars. We want our coaches to be the best they can be so that players can have the best experience possible.

Coach Riggs teaching HUF

Explain a bit about who is involved in the community in the transition to a HUF league.
As the Coaching committee chair on the Board of Directors, Eric Garrow has been appointed to the task of implementing the HUF program in SDJRFB. Eric is selecting Player Safety Coaches (PSC) that will help mentor our coaches in the HUF tackling techniques. These PSCs will oversee the coaches that are assigned to them by both fielding their questions and encouraging them in their practices.

How are you getting the word out about HUF?

If we have learned anything about Coach Riggs, it’s that he is a marketing machine. Every time we turn around, he is promoting SDJRFB and the HUF Program. Coach Riggs has been a big part of the transition and in getting the word out. We can’t say enough about how much he is helping our League with this transition. Plus, by including the HUF tackling technique into his Summer Camp, he will be training kids before we even start the season. Those players that attend the camp will be walking into their first practice with the knowledge of how to tackle properly. That’s priceless.

Coach Siegfried working tackling drills

What can parents do to support the HUF initiative for SDJRFB?

First and foremost, we can use their encouragement. This is a big undertaking for our volunteer board to manage and for our coaches to implement. This program means that we will be training 260 coaches a new tackling technique. That alone will need encouragement. Secondly, we would like for parents to get involved. During Kickoff Weekend, we will be holding seminars for parents to learn about HUF and the proper way to tackle.

We are hoping for a great turnout at the SD Junior Football Camp, Tackling Clinic, and Non-contact camp so that athletes can get ahead of the game with HUF tackling technique. Stay tuned for Coach Riggs' discussion with a representative from USA Football, the organization behind HUF.

Heads Up at Riggs Premier Football

Have you heard about Heads Up Football (HUF) and the "better, safer game" for youth football programs? The NFL has been promoting the program since last fall, youth leagues around the nation are adopting HUF techniques, and Coach Riggs has written several blog posts about it, most recently 'Heads Up: Coaching for Change". The culture of football is changing to become more proactive with injury prevention, and HUF seeks to introduce that philosophy to every level of the game, starting with our youngest athletes.

Changing the culture of football requires change at every level and in every part of the country.  

Teaching Heads Up tackling

Athletes in the Sioux Falls area are fortunate to be on the forefront of that culture change, and we want parents, athletes and coaches to understand what this development in the sport means for them. Many people and organizations have been involved in bringing HUF to SD athletes. Coach Riggs has asked each of those involved in the HUF transition to explain their part in bringing the program to South Dakota and to help parents and athletes understand how the changes affect them. Coach Riggs will share his interviews with representatives from SD Junior Football and USA Football, NFL Ambassador Brian Hansen, and Dr. Thayne Munce from Sanford Orthopedics/National Institute for Athletic Health and Performance. While their roles in bringing HUF to SD vary, they are all firmly behind this important movement to improve safety standards in youth football.

Coach Hermanson teaching tackling

RPF is also on board and focusing on fundamentals for all ages in July! We have our Think Football QB Clinic July 26th and an all ages 7 on 7 Tournament July 19-20, and we are also working to get athletes specifically trained in HUF techniques before the 2013 season! The SDJRFB camp July 10-13 for 2nd-8th graders, our Tackling Clinic July 16-17 for all ages, and a Non-contact camp for K-5th graders July 29-31 are designed to specifically train area athletes on proper fundamentals the HUF way. No matter which events athletes choose in July, they are guaranteed careful emphasis on fundamentals and technique. We believe that is an essential component of teaching the sport to promote the changing culture.


There are many benefits to be realized from training and certifying coaches, increasing awareness of injury prevention, and improving athletic performance without affecting the competitive spirit of football. It is exciting to see this collective effort to improve safety in the sport, and we are proud to be part of that effort in South Dakota. Stay tuned for more on HUF during the month of June, and join us for our July camps and clinics to get a Heads Up on the 2013 season!

Think Football: Roundtable with the Kick/Punt/Snap Coach

We are following the OLine/DLine Challenge and Skills Clinics with a Kicking, Punting and Snapping Clinic on May 28-29.  Former All-American kicker from SDSU, Parker Douglass, is leading the clinic for Riggs Premier Football. Parker is one of the rare kickers that has been able to kick successfully at all levels. Parker had a successful career at SDSU, then was able to kick in the IFL, UFL and NFL. Certain kickers have the unique ability to get the ball in the air quickly off the foot, kick with distance, and kick with accuracy. Parker is definitely one of the those kickers! Over the years, Parker has worked very hard to perfect his craft, and he spends countless hours trying to make sure that he is prepared for all situations! Kids are very lucky to have the opportunity to receive coaching from this great Jackrabbit Alum!

What are the most important qualities in a kicking specialist, and how do you display those?

Some of the most important qualities of a kicking specialist include: a strong work ethic, desire to be the best, being coachable, and belief or confidence in one’s self.

What advice would you give to a young athlete who someday wants to be a kicking specialist?

Work hard and take advantage of your opportunities to get coaching and advice from someone who has had success at your position. I did not begin kicking until I was in high school, and I did not have any professional coaching until after college. I wish I had pursued professional coaching since high school because I believe I would have performed better.

What’s your favorite part about being a kicking specialist?

Being there for my team. The kicking game can provide a big advantage. Your team depends on you, and I enjoy doing everything I can to put points on the board and help put the team in a position to succeed.

Why should athletes attend this Kick/Snap/Punt camp?

I believe it would be a great advantage to any kicking specialist who attends this camp. As I stated earlier, I did not receive professional coaching until after I was done with college. I had to coach myself and learn from watching the NFL. There is only so much you can learn from watching, and I truly believe I would have performed much better in high school and college had I received more training.

We are looking forward to working with athletes who are focused on improving their skills as kicking specialists!  And stay tuned for our blog series leading up to our July camps and clinics.  Heads up! It's time to focus on tackling!

Think Football: Roundtable with the Skills Position Coaches

This Think Football summer is designed to give athletes an unprecedented opportunity to focus on their athletic development and off season training. Our position clinics provide athletes the chance to work closely with position coaches on the fundamentals of playing their position and technique development to improve their play. We focused on the lineman position with our OLine/DLine coaches to help athletes gear up for the Challenge Clinic, so now it is time for our Skill Position coaches to offer a few thoughts about attending their Skills Camp on May 22-24!

What do skill players need to focus on? Running routes, breaks, cutting, and tackling are just a few of the skills that are required to perform at a high level on the football field. As with any sport, athletes have success by repeating movements and techniques to train their body and mind to correctly perform fundamental skills at a high level. The Skills Clinic is a great opportunity to maximize reps and work on the "little things" that will improve your game. Football movements are unique, so we have to put ourselves in these positions in the off season to keep our skills sharp!

Josh Siegfried and Blake Wilson are two of our coaches who will be working to assist athletes at the Skills Clinic. Josh has an extensive background coaching and playing, and he will be working the defensive side of the ball to teach athletes the essentials of defensive skill positions. Blake Wilson had a very successful career at Southwest Minnesota State at wide receiver, and he is continuing his career playing with the Sioux Falls Storm and coaching with RPF. Blake's career has continued because of his work ethic and his ability to work on the "little things" required to play receiver. Blake does an excellent job setting up routes, blocking, understanding the defense and thinking like a quarterback. Both of these coaches are excited to work on skill development at their clinic!

Blake Wilson

What advice would you give to a young athlete who someday wants to play at a skill position?

Josh:  Deep Practice! There are a lot of good players out there, but if you want to separate yourself from the crowd, you must put in the time and effort to become great! You must focus on your deficits as a player and then practice those at a high level to train your body and mind to react in a way that improves your game and the success of the team.

Blake: Work, work, and more work! If you want to be the best at any position you play you have to be willing to put in the sweat and time.

What is your favorite part about playing/coaching at your position?

Josh: Defense is all about doing your job as part of the scheme. It’s really all about team, chemistry, and trust. When everyone does their job, the success is very rewarding. Defense is PASSION...getting excited about successes as a unit!

Blake: The satisfaction you get from the joy of your teammates when you pick up a key third down conversion or score a game winning touchdown. That is the best part of playing receiver!

Josh Siegfried

Why should athletes go to this special position clinic?

Josh: You must become an expert at your position and understand what is happening around you to help your team win! You need to keep these skills sharp in the off season to allow you to show growth year in and year out. These are not all movements and reads that you do on a consistent basis, and skills clinic will allow you to get a step up on your competition. Practicing these movements also gives you confidence, and when you combine ability to play faster with confidence, you will develop a football player that performs at a high level.

Blake: As a receiver you must know your strengths and advantages. Whether you are faster, quicker, or maybe just bigger than your defender, you need to utilize that advantage. This clinic gives athletes a opportunity to develop their strengths and learn details about the position that will give them a step up on their competition. They will learn from coaches that have been where they are and know what it takes to raise their game to another level.

We are looking forward to the Skills Clinic next week! Stay tuned for more discussions with our coaches. Next up is Coach Riggs’ conversation with kicking coach, Parker Douglass.

Think Football: Roundtable with the OLine Coaches

The OLine/DLine Challenge Clinic will be held May 20-21 at the Fieldhouse. In the last blog post, I invited the Defensive Line coaches to share their thoughts on their upcoming Think Football Challenge Clinic, and now it is the Offensive Line coaches’ turn to say a few words.

Shawn Flanagan played college football at the University of Oregon, then Eastern Oregon, and finished his collegiate career winning a national title at the University of Sioux Falls. After college, Shawn was signed by the New Orleans Saints. He currently coaches football and track at Colman, and coaches offensive linemen with RPF.

Charlie Sanders won two national titles at Valdosta State and then played for the Billings Outlaws. Charlie now anchors the offensive line with the Sioux Falls Storm. During his three years with the Storm, Charlie has been voted first team all-league and helped lead the team to back-to-back titles. He also coaches centers and other offensive linemen with RPF.

What are the most important qualities in an offensive lineman, and how do you display those?

Shawn: Work ethic, ability to change direction, strength, explosive hips, quick feet, and knowledge and ability to lower hips, stay square, drive through contact, hand and head placement, and understanding blocking angles. You display these by always being in a position to execute your assignment from snap to whistle with power and control of your opponent.

Shawn Flanagan

What kind of workouts do you do, and how does it make you a better offensive lineman?

Charlie: I do lots of footwork drills. As linemen, we are not required to run long distances but we have to be quick on our feet to put ourselves in the best possible situation on every play.




What advice would you give to a young athlete who someday wants to play at your position?

Shawn: Be involved in a long term strength program, work on specific football skills such as pass sets, and drive blocking. It’s important to do this because it takes an average of 10,000 reps of doing something before you can master a certain skill and not have to think. The more you think the slower you play!

Charlie: Don’t ever forget that the snap is the most important thing! The snap of the football starts every single play, and it can make or break every single play.

Why should athletes go to this special OLine/DLine Challenge Clinic?

Charlie Sanders

Shawn: These coaches have played or are still playing at a high level, and there is no one better that understands what correlates to football in terms of drills and knowledge.

Charlie: There is so much focus on the skills positions when it comes to specialized training, and it can leave offensive linemen behind the curve. Why should linemen be punished?

The OLine/DLine Challenge Clinic will allow specific focus on the techniques of playing on the line. There are not many opportunities for specialized instruction and coaching for linemen, so athletes will really benefit from the careful attention to fundamentals and skills at these positions. We hope to see a great group of linemen who are up for this challenge! And stay tuned next for advice from the skill position coaches on their upcoming Skills Clinic.

Think Football: Roundtable with the DLine Coaches

The Sanford POWER Football Academy is getting ready to kick off its Think Football summer with a series of position clinics, and two 7 on 7 tournaments. As we run our clinics this summer, we are asking some of our position coaches to share their perspectives on the game, training, and learning fundamental skills to play at each position. Our first clinic is the OLine/DLine Challenge Clinic, so we invited two of our Defensive Line coaches to share their thoughts.

Cory Johnsen is a local athlete from Aberdeen, SD, who went on to play in college at St. Cloud State University. He has been a dominant force at the Nose Guard position for many years with the Sioux Falls Storm. Cory coaches with RPF, and he has coached at Augustana College, working with their defensive line.

Rachman Crable brings college and pro-experience from many different levels. Rachman played D1 football at Ball State, then bounced around with NFL teams and Arena Football teams. He has played with the Sioux Falls Storm for five years. He has tremendous football ability and intelligence, and having Rachman playing is like having another coach on the field. Rachman coaches with RPF and also assisted Augustana's staff last year with the defensive line. Both coaches are well-loved and respected by the athletes they train at RPF!

What are the most important qualities in a defensive lineman?

Cory Johnsen

Rachman: Having a good attitude. Wanting to work hard and listening. Athletes display those by showing up ready to improve and work hard each session and by knowing their coaches only want the best for them.

Cory: Work Ethic! ‘Want To’! Toughness! Athletes display those by working their butt off during drills and practice, so during the game it comes easy and natural.



What advice would you give a young athlete who someday wants to play at your position?

Rachman: Pay attention to people playing your position, either on your team or another. Always be a willing learner and a resilient worker.

Cory: The key to being a successful defensive lineman is first, work ethic, then combine that with a good base set of DLine skills, and implement some special skills to complement the fundamentals, and you will have success!

Why should athletes come to the OLine/DLine Challenge Clinic?

Rachman Crable

Rachman: I feel it gives kids a great head start on bettering their skills and mentality. They will be getting great one-on-one coaching and interaction with trainers/coaches that have ‘been there and done that’ and want to see young athletes succeed.

Cory: Athletes should come to this clinic to learn the small key features and skills of being a defensive lineman. We will help athletes learn the key components to the position that a regular coach just does not have the time to implement.

Riggs Premier Football is offering the position clinics to give athletes the chance to do focused work on the fundamentals of every position. It is difficult during the regular season to do one-on-one work with athletes during regular practices, so the clinics will allow for specialized coaching and careful attention to fundamentals and skill development. It is a great opportunity for athletes to build their abilities and confidence before the season. Be sure to stay tuned for the next round of advice from our OLine coaches!