Posted on July 17, 2012July 10, 2017 by Carol J. Kelly New Pop Warner Concussion Rules: Colonia group takes extra steps The Colonia Patriots Pop Warner football teams practice at the Colonia Middle School field. The smallest linemen are learning habits to protect themselves from the kinds of brain injuries that have caused football to come under intense scrutiny. Starting this season, Pop Warner Football’s national organization has set new rules to limit the risk of concussions and other brain injuries for thousands of youth athletes who play in its leagues. Among the changes: restricting contact drills to a maximum of 40 minutes per practice or one-third of total weekly practice time, and banning full-speed, head-on blocking and tackling drills in which players line up more than 3 yards apart.