Trying to make football completely safe is impossible, but making it safer is possible.

The state of California took a big step in doing so two weeks ago, about the same time the NCAA was putting its own ideas on safety into action.

California passed a bill that limits the number of full-contact football practices in all middle and high school programs.

The law will take effect at the first of the year and will limit game-speed tackling to twice a week and never during offseason drills. The rule applies to all schools, including private and charter.

In early July the NCAA suggested to its schools similar limits as well.

Most universities have been working with some type of limited contact policy over the past few years already in order to keep players on the field. McNeese State is one of those.

“We’re basically already doing that in the spring,” McNeese head coach Matt Viator told the American Press. “During the season, Tuesday and Wednesday we have some live things, but there’s no way half the practice is — probably 30 to 40 percent, and as the season goes on we do less and less.”

Both the California law and NCAA guidelines were put in to place to combat the growing concerns of concussions and, of course, the lawsuits that have been piling up as well.

Safety should be the top concern of any coach when it comes to lower levels of any sport, especially football. By making it a law California is putting those who push the envelope on notice.

It is not a bad idea, one that the state of Louisiana should look into.

It should be noted that most coaches have changed the way they run practices over the years, protecting the athletes.

In the past, getting a concussion was seen as a badge of honor for players and a test to see how tough they were. If they could still practice, or play, after getting their “bell rung” they were considered gamers.

If they missed a few plays, often the word soft would be used by coaches and other players.

Kids were almost forced to stay on the field despite their condition. You didn’t want to let the team down.

That’s why the kids need the protection. Maybe not always from the coaches but from themselves.

They also need to be better educated.

While it is the injuries during games that get most of the attention, more players are hurt during practice sessions. That only makes sense when you consider just how many collisions occur during a given practice.

This is not to penalize the good coaches who know the value of keeping players healthy. Instead, it is to make sure others don’t go overboard.

Players today are bigger, faster, stronger and thus hit harder. The damage they do to each other is greater than ever before.

True, you can’t keep every player who puts on the pads safe. Football is a violent game.

However, it is important that we do our best to try and keep them as safe as possible.

I can hear the old-school guys claiming we are going soft. They point out that more tackles are missed now than ever before and that the fundamentals are long gone from the game.

They might be right.

But I’m willing to exchange a few missed tackles here and there if it keeps one young player from the emergency room.

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Jim Gazzolo is managing sports editor. Email him at jgazzolo@americanpress.com(MGNonline)