Football has a macho and dangerous reputation across the country.  From broken bones to torn tendons to concussions, football players put themselves at risk of injury for the love of their sport.  As a result, the no contact rule was established at RHS to decrease the amount of injuries at practice.

According to Riley Clark, Varsity Linebacker, “we can only do two days of contact a week in practice.”

According to momsteam.com, high school athletes sustain an estimated 136,000 to 300,000 concussions per year.  To say the least, concussions happen frequently on the field.  Along with the new no contact rule, athletes are required to take a concussions test online at the beginning of the season.

One may wonder whether less contact at practice leads to poor performance during games. However, RHS Varsity Football has come out with a victory in both of their preseason games so far.

“We spend more time going over what to do, rather than how to do it. It’s more mental,” Varsity Linebacker,  Tommy Moore said.

The mental game is a huge part of sports, especially in football.  Athletes have to be able to overcome adversity and thrive under pressure.  Even though the football players are only  making contact two days a week, they are focusing on a piece of the game that is equally as important.

The RHS football team has started off the season well, but what are their expectations for the season?  With the no contact rule, are they going to fall behind?

Riley Clark says “we still work hard during no contact practice, so no.”

With the team’s hard work, positive attitude, and morale, they hope to continue their tour de force with a victory over Whitney High School this Friday.