Protective football equipment apparatus with alternative tackling element

Abstract

An apparatus provides for a modified form of tackling in American football. A handle may be coupled to an article of protective equipment worn by players. The handle may project outwardly from the player and defenders may “tackle” a ball carrier by grabbing onto one or more of the handles present on the ball carrier's equipment, the grasping of which may be considered ending the play and the ball carrier's progress may be terminated. In this way, players may still learn to execute the fundamentals for tackling while the ball carrier is protected from high impact hits to the head or body. The ball carrier may also be protected from injuries that occur from being thrown to the ground since the use of handles may obviate the need for the ball carrier to be down by contact with the ground.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for modified tackling in a game of football, comprising:
 an article of protective equipment configured to be worn by a user during the game of football; and   a handle coupled to the article of protective equipment, wherein the handle projects outwardly from the article of protective equipment.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the handle is coupled to a predetermined location of the article of protective equipment. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the handle is affixed to the article of protective equipment. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the handle is detachably coupled to the article of protective equipment. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the article of protective equipment is configured to be worn below a neck of the user. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the article of protective equipment is a sternum plate. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the article of protective equipment is a shoulder pad. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the article of protective equipment is a hip pad. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the article of protective equipment is a spine plate. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising two attachment points on the article of protective equipment, wherein the attachment points are configured to couple a first end and a second end of the handle. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a fastener attached to the handle or to the article of protective equipment, wherein the handle is coupled to the article or protective equipment via the fastener. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the handle defines an enclosed loop between two attachment points on the article of protective equipment, wherein the handle is disposed to be grasped by a hand wrapping around the handle through the loop. 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus for modified tackling in a game of football, comprising:
 a pair of football shoulder pads configured to be worn by a user during the game of football; and   a plurality of handles coupled to the pair of football shoulder pads, wherein each handle of the plurality of handles project outwardly from the pair of football shoulder pads.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of handles includes pairs of handles positioned on opposite sides of the pair of football shoulder pads. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the pairs of handles are positioned on a right side shoulder section and on a left side shoulder section of the pair of football shoulder pads. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the pairs of handles are positioned on a right side rib section and on a left side rib section of the pair of football shoulder pads. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the pairs of handles are positioned on a sternum side section and on a spine side section of the pair of football shoulder pads. 
     
     
         18 . An apparatus for modified tackling in a game of football, comprising:
 an article of protective equipment configured to be worn by a user during the game of football, including:
 a pair of football shoulder pads, 
 a sternum plate, 
 a spine plate, and 
 a rib protector pad; and 
   a plurality of handles coupled to the article of protective equipment, wherein a respective handle from the plurality of handles is coupled to:
 a respective shoulder pad of the pair of football shoulder pads, 
 a respective left side section and right side section of the rib protector pad, 
 the sternum plate, and 
 the spine plate, and wherein 
 each respective handle of the plurality of handles project outwardly from the respective shoulder pad of the pair of football shoulder pads, the respective left side section and right side section of the rib protector pad, the sternum plate, and the spine plate. 
   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein each respective handle is detachably coupled to the article of protective equipment. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein each respective handle defines an enclosed loop between two attachment points on the article of protective equipment, wherein each respective handle is disposed to be grasped by a hand wrapping around the handle through the loop.