GREAT TIME CHANGE: One local dad is pushing hard for an overhaul after his son suffered a shattered shoulder from a dangerous lifting tackle………
A local father is calling for major changes to youth sports regulations after a harrowing injury left his son with a shattered shoulder and a long road to recovery. The injury, which occurred during a high school football game last fall, has sparked a broader conversation about safety, accountability, and whether the current rules governing physical contact in youth sports are doing enough to protect players.
The incident happened in the third quarter of a highly competitive game when 16-year-old Marcus Delaney was lifted and slammed into the turf during a tackle that many onlookers described as excessive. The impact shattered Marcus’s shoulder, requiring emergency surgery and months of physical therapy. His father, Greg Delaney, says the injury was preventable and is demanding immediate reform. “This wasn’t just a hard tackle—this was a dangerous maneuver that should never be allowed in youth sports,” he said. “My son’s life changed in a second.”
Greg has since become a vocal advocate for change, launching a petition to revise contact rules in high school football. The petition, which has already gathered over 15,000 signatures, calls for stricter penalties for dangerous tackles, improved training for coaches, and mandatory education for players on safe tackling techniques. He is also pushing for increased oversight from school athletic departments and state athletic associations. “We can’t keep calling these things ‘accidents’ when there are clear gaps in the system that allow them to happen,” he said.
Coaches and athletic directors in the area are divided on the issue. Some support Greg’s push for reform, acknowledging that the rules around lifting tackles are often poorly enforced and inconsistently interpreted. “We emphasize safety, but there’s a gray area with certain types of tackles,” admitted one local coach, who asked not to be named. Others, however, caution against over-regulating the game. “Football is physical by nature. While we need to protect our players, we also need to preserve the integrity of the sport,” said another coach from a neighboring school district.
Meanwhile, Marcus is facing a long recovery and uncertainty about his future in sports. Once a standout linebacker with dreams of playing in college, he now spends his days in rehab and dealing with lingering pain. “It’s frustrating,” Marcus said. “I just want to get back on the field, but I also don’t want this to happen to someone else.” His story has struck a chord with many parents who say they’ve worried about similar risks in youth sports but felt powerless to change anything.
Greg Delaney doesn’t plan to slow down anytime soon. In addition to his petition, he’s scheduled to speak at the upcoming school board meeting and is working with state lawmakers on potential legislation to enforce stricter safety standards. “We owe it to our kids to do better,” he said. “This is about more than just football—it’s about making sure every child who plays a sport can do so without fear of being seriously hurt.” As the conversation continues to grow, one thing is clear: change may be coming, and it might start right here in this community.
