Green Hornets introduce new safety measures at annual camp

New safety measures were a feature at the Valley Stream Green Hornets football club’s annual weeklong camp at Firemen’s Field two weeks ago, where each night averaged considerably more players than last year.

Bobby Hawkey, the club’s president, called the camp a “huge success,” with about 80 children showing up each night, compared to the 50 to 60 that participated each night last year.

There were a few new features this year, which marked 65 years since Hawkey’s father started the organization. An extra age group was added for 5- and 6-year-olds, added to the existing 7-14 age range. Sudden cardiac arrest was a new topic this year, part of the Heads Up Football program’s safety protocols. The program was started by the NFL-sponsored USA Football in 2013 to make the game safer in light of serious injuries, deaths and long-term cognitive effects that began to get more public attention in recent years. Hawkey also conducted the first safety clinic that included parents this year.

“We need parents to know the signs ‘cause the kids are only with us for three hours,” said Hawkey. He said the clinic was a furtherance of practices put in place by USA Football, which the Green Hornets joined four years ago. Past safety measures mandated by USA Football have included background checks for coaches, who get certified, and The Heads Up Football program, which teaches players about the dangers of heat and staying hydrated, concussion recognition and response, proper equipment fitting and the heads-up method of tackling and blocking.

Hawkey, who was trained as a player safety coach in 2012, emphasized that parents are strongly encouraged to have their children screened before they play football, due to the increased risk of sudden cardiac arrest when a child has a pre-existing condition.

He said that the added safety protocols have had an impact. “I’ve seen it personally in our organization,” he said. “I really don’t see as many concussions.”

Hawkey said that the club has access to a defibrillator provided by the Village of Valley Stream, but said his organization is looking into getting one of its own through a grant.

The camp was open to local kids as well as those from other towns, and Hawkey said he saw a lot of familiar faces and plenty of new ones. Practice for the fall season started Aug. 1, with slightly less players registered this year than last year’s 130. Hawkey said that could increase because registration is still open.

“People know that if you want to learn football, Valley Stream is the place to go,” he said.