If you've read the thread you'd see that I said basically just that and that everyone is going to have different tolerances for risk for themselves and their children. Would you make your kid wear a helmet when he rides a bike or is that just one of the risks that you'll accept?
Kids playing football
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I gave my son the choice to play whatever he wanted with the caveat that if he started a year, he'd finish it.
He played football from 5th to 8th grade, and then lost interest. The youth coaches did a good job of teaching about protecting your head and monitoring it.
He played football from 5th to 8th grade, and then lost interest. The youth coaches did a good job of teaching about protecting your head and monitoring it.
- Mar 27, 2006
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My son who was built most like a football player got pretty harassed by the coaches when he decided not to play in high school. Several were high school teachers and his first two weeks of high school, they were pulling him out of class to try and convince him to play. One called and yelled at me on the phone but I had left the decision completely up to him. His thought was they weren't exactly singing his praises as an 8th grade center/defensive end so he didn't know what the big deal was.
Ok. I didn't read the thread, I scanned through most of it.
Helmet? Not sure, depends on age and how good they are at biking. I never had one and seem to be doing alright.
- Mar 27, 2006
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unfortunately, as more research is done, it's being found that it's not something that you can really account for through protection of your head and monitoring. It's not about just "getting your bell rung," it's the repeated lower velocity impacts that can be just as dangerous.
No, it is a low ceiling right there and I was carrying our 2 dogs down the stairs and forgot it was so low (only had been in the house a couple months). Hit it so hard I had to sit right down, put the dogs down and then blacked out for a minute.
My son is currently in 5th grade. We have not and will not let him play youth football. However, we will let him play once he is in 7th grade, if he wants.
I once read a journal article that said head impact forces in youth football are equivalent to major college football, higher than the junior high and high school levels. The main reason isn't because they hit hard or generate a lot of force. The reason is because their neck muscles aren't developed enough to support the helmet which causes a whiplash effect. Pretty scary, actually.
I once read a journal article that said head impact forces in youth football are equivalent to major college football, higher than the junior high and high school levels. The main reason isn't because they hit hard or generate a lot of force. The reason is because their neck muscles aren't developed enough to support the helmet which causes a whiplash effect. Pretty scary, actually.
For an 18-year-old, there is a 48 in 1000 risk of being in a car accident. That is 5%.
For a high school football player, there is a 1 in 5 risk of having a concussion. That is 20%.
Our high school football team has consistently gotten worse since they started a fifth and sixth grade tackle league. Probably has a lot to do with dads coaching. I think the kids, especially in non-glory positions like the line, just get burned out faster. Probably would be different if the coaching was better.
I played flag football in 5th and 6th grades, then tackle football from 7th-12th grades. I would do it again. I'm not going to force my future kid to play and I'm not going to stop him from doing so if that's what he wants to do. It's a much safer sport than what it used to be, but I understand the risk. I just don't understand why a parent would tell a boy (or girl) who really wants to play that he/she can't.
I do happen to think this has a lot to do with if you actually played football or not. If you didn't I can see why it'd be easier to tell your kid no.
I played junior high and high school football. I had two concussions during that time, one serious enough to make me feel a shift in my temperment and just made me feel hazy and depressed for the years following. I remember having dizzy spells and being made fun of by teammates and being regarded as weak because I hated contact after that. I stuck it out until the end, but I hated football all during that time. I always felt that those head injuries had long term effects on me; I just didn't feel as sharp as I should. Over time I got used to it, but now, in my early thirties I have noticed things like a slight tremor and feel anxiety more than I used to. With the link of head trauma and neurodegenerative disorders, I can't help but feel that those concussions were somewhat of a contributing factor.
I do know that every person's experience is different and that some bodies will be more susceptible than others. I have a history of alzheimers in my family, so I don't know if that predisposition to neurodegenerative disease puts me at higher risk to effects of head trauma, or not. That is something research will teach us. Further, as medical science progresses, treatments for things like ALS, Parkinsons, and CTE seem to be just upon the horizon. I love watching football and I would never question any parent's decision to allow their own child to make their own choice. However, because of my experience, I will not allow my kids to play contact sports.
I do know that every person's experience is different and that some bodies will be more susceptible than others. I have a history of alzheimers in my family, so I don't know if that predisposition to neurodegenerative disease puts me at higher risk to effects of head trauma, or not. That is something research will teach us. Further, as medical science progresses, treatments for things like ALS, Parkinsons, and CTE seem to be just upon the horizon. I love watching football and I would never question any parent's decision to allow their own child to make their own choice. However, because of my experience, I will not allow my kids to play contact sports.
My son is 5 and I'm guessing by the time he's ready for youth tackle football it will have been phased out due to the injury potential and I won't have to make the decision whether he should play or not.
Youth football will be undergoing dramatic changes/phase-out over the next few years.
Youth football will be undergoing dramatic changes/phase-out over the next few years.
