How much full contact should my child have in practice?
Guideline- USA
- USA Football
- Youth tackle
- 12U
- 12 and under
- 2026 guidelines
- Parents
- Team parents
USA Football recommends these limits for youth tackle football:
| Period | Full contact per week | Full contact per day |
|---|---|---|
| Preseason (after the acclimatization period, before games start) | No more than 75 minutes | No more than 30 minutes |
| Regular season | No more than 60 minutes | No more than 30 minutes |
Full contact is any drill where players make contact at competitive speed (Thud or Live), whether or not anyone goes to the ground.
These are recommendations for league administrators, coaches and parents; a league can adopt them or set its own limits.
Updated 21 Oct 2026