New Jersey to limit contact in prep football

NEWARK, N.J.

The executive committee of the organization that governs New Jersey high school athletes has approved a proposal to drastically reduce contact in football before and during the season.

The proposal passed Wednesday by the executive committee of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association reduces in-season full contact from 90 minutes per week to 15 and preseason full contact from unlimited to 6 hours total, including scrimmages. There will be no change in the existing ban on full contact in the spring and summer.

The amount of contact is less than mandates or recommendations by the NFL, NCAA, Ivy League, USA Football, Pop Warner or any other football jurisdiction, the NJSIAA said in a news release.