Section XI football chair Tim Horan says the, “Tommy Tough Standards have had the greatest single positive impact on player safety in the past 25 plus years!”

And when you combine the Tommy Tough Standards with the newly implemented ‘Player Contact Limitation’ guidelines, the officials/coaches sideline management, the introduction of new helmet technology, the greater awareness and diagnosis of head injuries/concussions, and the improvement in return to play protocols, risks are significantly reduced for football players.

Through the vision of the Cutinella family and the stakeholders of Suffolk County football, Section XI designed and implemented the Tommy Tough Football Standards this past year, in an effort to minimize risks for players. This has resulted in the most profound positive culture shift in a sport in decades and significantly reduced risks for all Section XI football players.  This culture change would not have been possible without the collaborative efforts of Section XI and the Section XI athletic directors, coaches, officials, parents and spectators.

Through the educational and awareness program embedded in the Tommy Tough Standards, all stakeholders are providing vital support in providing a comprehensive program that minimizes risks for all players. Athletic directors are coordinating professional development opportunities for their football coaches; football coaches are learning and teaching current techniques designed to minimize risks for players; officials are empowered to make safety related calls; players, spectators and parents are being educated and embracing their role in minimizing risks. In addition, officials are educating 100% of the players prior to each contest about their shared responsibility to minimize risks for themselves and their opponent; coaches are educating parents at preseason meetings; communities are making public address ‘player safety announcements’ during games; and players are learning the definition of player fouls such as targeting, defenseless player hits and illegal helmet contact, rather than leaving it up to chance. With the newly introduced Tommy Tough Football Standards, when a player is called for targeting, illegal helmet contact and/or a defenseless player hit, they must be removed from the game for a minimum of 1 play, in addition to the penalty yardage.

USA Football, endorsed by the NYSPHSAA, provides a comprehensive workshop designed to teach football coaches current ‘best practices’ and has been an important partner of Section XI in the effort to minimize risks for players. They continue to update their curriculum annually and provide professional development opportunities which train coaches to be a ‘Player Safety Coach.’ In 2016, thanks to a grant from the NY Jets, the large majority of Section XI and Section VIII football programs have had coaches receive this training and distinction. Both counties look forward to attending future USA Football trainings.

The Tommy Tough Standards are in memory of Thomas Cutinella, who was a son, a brother, a nephew, a friend and a student athlete in the Shoreham Wading River community, who tragically died on October 2, 2014 from playing football. Tommy was a bright light in the SWR community. He was intelligent, athletic and a leader in his community, who wanted to attend West Point and serve his country. The Tommy Tough Standards are one important way Thomas Cutinella continues to serve us all. It’s a tribute to the way he lived his life and now it’s a tribute to Tommy on how he continues to serve us all.