Darkness descends slowly over the sports field in Upplands Väsby, north of Stockholm. On the artificial grass, the Wäsby Warriors hold an American football practice, together with the competing association Täby Flyers, who were invited for the evening.
Before everything gets started, the players and leaders gather in a ring.
- We have a couple of new faces here today. And what do we do when new people arrive? asks Carlos Barillas, who is the coach of Wäsby's U13 team.
- Introducing us, the group answers in chorus.
It is a motley group of children and young people who one by one take a step forward, say their name and their favorite team. Some are only 7 years old, others have turned 13. First everyone warms up together, then they are divided by age.
The youngest, up to 11 years old, play a variant of American football called flex football. There are no clean tackles, but a player is stopped by the opponents pulling off small "flags" that are attached at waist height. But the older ones, they have to be tackled. In that way which is such a big and important part of the sport.
A nut to crack has been how it can be done in the U13 series, at an age where the physics can be very different.
- I'm a big person, but some of the guys are already bigger than I am. Others haven't grown that much yet, or are new to the sport. Then safety becomes a big deal, says Carlos Barillas.
In 2026, the Swedish association Swe 3, which among other things organizes American football, has introduced colored caps that are worn over the helmets to mark the players who are either bigger and stronger than the others, or smaller and perhaps new to the sport. If you have a cap over your helmet, you may not tackle other players or be tackled. Instead, contact is marked by placing two hands on the opponent's hip. If successful, the game is stopped.
- When I first heard about this, I thought it wouldn't work. That it was far too complicated, too much for the kids to keep track of. But I was wrong. They understand, says Carlos Barillas.
- Of course mistakes sometimes happen. But overall, I think this is a good thing that allows us to continue playing football in a safer way.
American football has a reputation as a sport with a high risk of injury. Recently, a new study was published in the British medical journal which showed that at least one in four players in the American, adult professional league NFL is feared to suffer from the brain disease CTE, which is caused by repeated trauma to the head.
However, the forces these players are exposed to cannot be compared to the rest of the sport, says Carlos Barillas.
- You will not find that level of violence at any level in Sweden. It would be interesting to see a study on head injuries on anyone who played in college. Or who played ice hockey, he says.
He is originally from Mexico, has played American football at the college level and also at the highest level in Sweden. When he himself was a child, he says, there was no sense of security at all. Then his coach told him to look up, rush straight into the tackle.
Now everyone is much more aware. A large part of the training in Upplands Väsby consists of getting the players to both be tackled and be able to receive a tackle in the right way. Shoulder to shoulder. If you are tackled, you must keep your chin against your chest to avoid your head being thrown backwards.
- You have to do it again and again and again. As a coach, you must not be lazy. It's about teaching them the right technique, says Carlos Barillas.
In the past, the Swe 3 association has worked with weight limits for the U13 teams. At that time, players who weighed more than 65 kilos were not allowed to play in positions that involve running with the ball, because body contact at speed means a greater risk of injury. That rule variant was not appreciated as many players find it boring.
The new variant with the caps provides greater flexibility. Now it is decided who needs to wear a cap before each individual match, by consensus between the coaches and the referees. It is not only size that determines, but also how much experience in American football the players have. Everything to minimize the risk of injury.
- Last year, we always had an injury every single tournament we played, with the old rules. But this year, luckily, we haven't actually suffered a single injury, says Carlos Barillas.
However, not everyone is as lyrical about the rule change. Hilmer Burgstaller, who is the coach of the Täby Flyers U13 team, thinks that the caps are better than the weight limit, but would prefer to see it applied in a different way.
- We suggest that you turn it around instead, that is, put the hats on the smaller guys and those who don't have much experience, who are the ones who need to be protected, he says.
He, along with the Flyers club management, thinks that this new regulation disproportionately "punishes" the bigger players who have played the sport longer.
- I have several guys who quit because they think it will be too boring. They also lose important development. Because when they move up to U15 next year, then it's full tackle no matter how big or how small you are. If you haven't been tackled in a match situation, then the injuries risk coming instead, says Hilmer Burgstaller.
The test with the caps must be evaluated after the season. Among the players, there is a consensus about what is the most fun about American football:
- To be tackled, answers both Dante Frödin in Täby Flyers and Luks Ahl Barillas in Wäsby Warriors.
None of them think it's a problem to understand the rules with the caps in a match. They also understand why they came to be.
- It's because there shouldn't be such a big risk of someone getting hurt, says Dante Frödin.
- But it's not so fun. It can get a little messy.
Lukas Ahl Barillas, who has father Carlos as coach, is looking forward to the coming years when their age group can be fully tackled.
- And there is also so much tactical with this sport, which is fun. You really collaborate. It's a good sport because anyone can come and get a position on the team.
Carlos Barillas thinks it is up to them as leaders to keep the interest up among the players even during the years they are not always allowed to be tackled during the matches.
- There are many ways to teach players the correct tackling technique anyway. From a football perspective, it's good that teams don't just give the ball to a big guy who can run over eight players and score a touchdown, he says.
