Cleaning, reconditioning are keys to keeping football helmets safe

Tuesday's Heads Up Football news:

• USA Football's Health and Safety blog reported on the importance of cleaning and reconditioning football helmets to make them safer.

• that Maryville coach Matt Webb will serve as defensive coordinator for USA's Under-17 team.

• U.S. News provided a Mayo Clinic report that said parents should take a more active role in protecting their kids from sports concussions, which is an education aspect of the Heads Up Football program.

-- Bill Bradley, contributing editor