Donated tackle wheels help Mansfield ISD football players practice safely

Donated tackle wheels help Mansfield football players

Football players at Mansfield ISD?s middle schools and high schools are using a newly donated tool designed to prevent concussions and other injuries during drills.

MANSFIELD, Texas - Football players at Mansfield ISD’s middle schools and high schools are using a newly donated tool designed to prevent concussions and other injuries during drills.

The Tackle Wheel

What we know:

A special grant and partnership between Methodist Mansfield Medical Center and the Mansfield Independent School District provided 24 tackle wheels for all middle and high school football teams.

The on-the-field training tool takes the place of another player, limiting full contact during practice and thereby reducing the likelihood of concussions and other injuries known to occur during drills.

What they're saying:

Several of the Mansfield High School players and coaches that FOX 4 spoke to on Wednesday said the tackle wheels help with both safety and skills.

"It’s going to help us make sure we get our tackles right," said Saadel Davis, a senior cornerback. "It really helps us pursue angles, simulate game drills because it’s a moving target. Keep our heads out of the tackle and staying safe."

"What it teaches you is how to keep your eyes up and your head out of the tackle so that we’re not putting ourselves at a risk of getting a concussion, a neck or spinal injury of any kind," added Mark Stout, Mansfield’s defensive coordinator.

Juan Fesquez Jr., the president at Methodist Mansfield Medical Center, said the donation gives the young athletes a chance to score big in practice without hurting one another.

"They allow for high-impact striking. In the past, students were striking each other, and these kids, student athletes, are trying to prove themselves. They’re trying to make sure they’re on the field starting," he said.