Evaluating behavioral skills training to teach safe tackling skills to youth football players

Tai et al. (2017) tested if Behavioral Skills Training (BST) could teach safer tackling to youth football players. Six boys aged 8-14 learned a five-step tackling form through instructions, modeling, practice, and feedback.

Coaches ran the sessions at regular practice. They filmed each player’s tackles and scored safety every time.

All players reached the safety criterion during drills. Two players who got game time kept the safer form when it counted on the field.

Skills stayed strong one month later with no extra coaching.

Quintero et al. (2020) did almost the same thing with soccer heading and got the same result. Both studies show BST can cut head-injury risk across sports.

Wiley et al. (2024) went further. They added in-situ BST right on the scrimmage field and saw even bigger gains for high-school linemen. Tai’s work set the stage; Wiley showed you can push generalization further by training in the game setting.

Capio et al. (2013) looks like a clash at first. They used shaping plus sound tags instead of BST and still fixed tackling. The gap is method, not message: both teams proved you can change football technique fast; BST just packages it clearer for coaches.

You now have a playbook: teach the skill, rehearse it, give quick feedback, then check it under game lights. It works for little leaguers and high-schoolers, for tackling, blocking, or heading. If the skill fades, run one booster on the field—Wiley showed that seals it. Use Tai’s five-step script Monday and you can lower concussion risk before Friday’s kickoff.