Following the lead of the NFL and the NCAA, the National Federation of State High School Associations has banned the horse-collar tackle from high school football.
Starting this fall, tackling a player by grabbing the inside collar of the shoulder pads or jersey will be a personal foul carrying a 15-yard penalty from the spot of the infraction.
"Obviously the safety of the players is very, very important," Carson football coach Blair Roman said. "Any rule changes with safety in mind (is good)."
The change, approved by the committee last month, was ratified last week by the board of directors of the Indianapolis-based NFHS, the governing organization for almost 19,000 high schools in the United States. The Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association is one of them.
The NCAA adopted a similar ban last summer.
The high school federation also banned grabbing an opponent's chin strap, along with the existing rules against grabbing the face mask or the edge of a helmet opening.
It also approved a rule mandating that no more than three coaches may be in a designated "restricted" area to talk to players during dead-ball situations, and before the ball is put into play, the coaches must retreat into the team box. It is designed to avoid sideline injuries.
- Nevada Appeal Staff and wire reports.
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