Word: verbruggen
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...injury is strict rules, strictly enforced. New rules for high school football in Pennsylvania call for automatic ejection for spearing, but coaches and players say referees either rarely see spearing or else fail to enforce the rule. Other ways to reduce physical damage at Pleasant Valley, thanks largely to Verbruggen, involve careful medical checkups and new and better ways of conditioning. "We don't even do traditional calisthenics any more," says Head Coach Tony Caracio. "One of the drills-walking 20 yds. on the inside of your feet, then 20 yds. on the outside to build ankle strength...
...legs, loosening hamstring and groin muscles that are always vulnerable to injury. In slow, progressive steps, they worked kinks out of their necks and backs. A perfunctory round of jumping-jack hops is the only recognizable survivor from football calisthenics past. "The wrong kind of exercise can cause injury," Verbruggen notes. "Deep knee bends alone are all right, but those duck-walks you always see teams doing will tear more cartilage in the knee than any game...
...more touchdowns, taking advantage of its average 25-lb. weight advantage on the line and a new razzle-dazzle shotgun formation. Palmerton's big fullback drags tacklers along like reluctant dance partners. Unable to earn a first down, the Bears are forced to punt again and again. Dr. Verbruggen shakes his head and looks grim. "See No. 24 there," he says. "He's going to hurt his hand. He's cold, and he's rubbing them between every play. That means he can't coordinate them well, and he'll end up jamming...
Johnson's hurt hand and a lineman's bruised leg are the only injuries during the first half. Trailing 19-0, the team clumps into the school cafeteria. Nobody mentions bruises, but the coaches spot trouble and call Verbruggen. "I get tremendous cooperation from the coaches. Sometimes they don't let a kid play even after I think he's fit. I agreed to be team physician on the condition that my word was final in keeping a boy out. But I never expected to have trouble getting...
...second half, Pleasant Valley controls the game, driving inside Palmerton's 20-yd. line, but fails to score. Late in the third period, a touchdown pass is called back when an official spots an ineligible receiver downfield. "We need a touchdown," Dr. Verbruggen growls. But he wants the Bears to score for a special reason. "When kids get discouraged, their reflexes aren't sharp. They run at somebody halfheartedly. That's when they get hurt. It's even worse with younger kids. If it were up to me, I would eliminate all peewee and junior high...