WASHINGTON STATE FOOTBALL COACHES ASSOCIATIONTACKLING CERTIFICATION PARTNERSHIPTACKLING. ELEVATED.
Atavus Football and the Washington State Football Coaches Association (WSFCA) have announced a new tackling certification partnership aimed at helping football programs across Washington strengthen defensive performance and advance player safety through a shared, science-backed approach to tackling.
Partnership overview
Through the partnership, WSFCA member coaches will gain access to the Atavus Tackling Certification, which provides training in the Atavus Tackle System and the foundational principles behind its methodology. The certification supports a more consistent and proven method to teach, practice, and evaluate tackling across coaching staffs and programs.
As a Seattle-based sports education and technology company, Atavus is proud to partner with a statewide association from its home state to support the growth of Washington football from youth programs through the high school level. The collaboration brings together two organizations committed to raising the standard for coaching, athlete development, and on-field safety across the state.
Benefits for coaches and players
The Atavus Tackling Certification gives coaches a repeatable framework for teaching tackling, along with video instruction, drill libraries, practice progressions, and assessment tools that help staffs build a common language around the technique. For players, that translates into clearer instruction, more consistent feedback, and a more intentional approach to tackling that emphasizes body position, leverage, and control.
By applying science-backed principles in everyday practice, programs can help players learn and retain safer, more effective tackling habits while improving confidence and defensive execution on game day. With entire staffs aligned in one system, teams are better positioned to reduce breakdowns in technique and create a culture where physical play and player safety work together.
"This partnership gives Washington coaches practical tools and a consistent framework for teaching tackling the right way," said WSFCA President Craig Bartl. "We're excited to work with a Washington-based organization that shares our commitment to helping athletes perform with confidence while keeping safety at the center of the game."
Closing
This new partnership between Atavus Football and the Washington State Football Coaches Association gives coaches across Washington access to a proven tackling certification built to improve instruction, strengthen defensive performance, and support safer play. By aligning coaches around a shared system and practical teaching tools, the program is designed to benefit both athlete development and long-term player well-being.
Washington coaches are encouraged to learn more about the Atavus Tackling Certification and take the next step toward certification to bring a modern, consistent tackling system to their programs.