Football Canada teams up with Shadowman Sports

Shadowman becomes official tackling equipment provider of Football Canada

(Ottawa and San Francisco) — Football Canada announced today a new partnership for 2016 with Shadowman Sports, a revolutionary tackling system that enables more tackling reps while reducing player-on-player contact in practices. The agreement recognizes Shadowman Sports as the “official tackling equipment provider” of Football Canada, including for its Safe Contact program.

Shadowman Sports manufactures and markets proprietary tackling equipment that significantly reduces player-on-player contact, and thus the risk of injury, during team football practice for all levels of organized play, from professional through Pee Wee leagues.  The tackling system is now in use by more than 75,000+ athletes and 1,500 football programs throughout the United States, including multiple NFL teams, 70 Division 1 collegiate teams and more than 1,000 high school and amateur programs.

An integral part of Football Canada’s National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP), Safe Contact teaches safe tackling techniques that emphasize making contact with the chest and front shoulder and not the head.  Safe Contact also emphasizes a blocking technique that stresses making primary contact with the hands, along with safety education and awareness.  Through the partnership, Shadowman tackling aids will be used at Safe Contact events throughout Canada.

“The way we teach football is fundamentally changing, and it’s exciting to see products like Shadowman tackling aids helping to make our sport safer and reinforcing the techniques taught in Safe Contact,” said Aaron Geisler, manager of development, Football Canada.

“Shadowman Sports is proud to partner with Football Canada to help coaches and players throughout the Commonwealth teach and learn proper football techniques using our Shadowman Pro and Junior products,” said Steve Flanagan, president and chief operating officer of Shadowman.   “We look forward to standing shoulder to shoulder with Football Canada as it creates a safe environment for learning the game of football, from the entry level all the way to college in the provinces.  Our mission is to help coaches and players get more and better reps in practices by reducing player-on-player contact by participating in game-like situations.”  Flanagan noted that Shadowman collaborates with USA Football in similar American-based programs.

About Shadowman

Shadowman Pro and Shadowman Jr. are the first moveable and detachable tackling systems that allow football teams at every level to reduce player-on-player contact during practice, enhance player longevity and increase game speed reps.  Shadowman was invented and introduced to the football market after three years of research and development by J.P. Hartigan, a 29-year-old former rugby player and product design and technology expert from Limerick, Ireland.  Shadowman is an air-filled humanoid, filled with water at the base to give the “body” an optimized low center of gravity for tackling and displacement when coupled in the ring sled.  Every last panel and contour is designed to give the tackler the best possible experience and feedback in the tackle.  From the bent knee posture indicating front and back position on the system, to the white optimal strike zone and the three target zones to guide players on head and shoulder placement, every part of Shadowman was designed with intent and care.  www.shadowmansports.com

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