I just returned from dropping Boy #3 off at football practice. He’s 10-years-old.
His older brother, Boy #2, also plays. He’s 13. Both boys are in tackle football leagues.
Are you surprised? Our decision to support our boys’ desire to play football is becoming less common. While football was once considered the ultimate boy sport, at least here in America, it seems as if the tide is turning. Parents, concerned about concussions, are refusing to let their sons play. I personally know at least three families who won’t allow their sons to play football because they’re worried about concussions.
I understand their concern. There’s an increasing (and long-overdue) awareness that concussions are brain injuries. Study after study has confirmed that concussions interfere with brain function, and that sustaining multiple concussions can cause permanent brain injury. Some even wonder if repeated concussions aren’t the reason for suicides among former NFL players and early dementia-type symptoms in retired pro football players.
The risk is real, and I completely respect and support any parent’s decision to keep their kid out of football. You know your son and your family better than I do, and I wouldn’t presume to try to tell you what to do.
I’m comfortable with my boys playing, though, because I see the coaches and organization taking real steps to support the boys’ health. They’ve invested in top-notch helmets for the boys, and have the helmets inspected and re-certified each year. This past year, the coaches all underwent helmet fit training, and the coaches spent time with each boy to make sure that each boy had a helmet that fit him well.
The coaches also underwent Heads Up tackling training via USA Football, and are teaching the boys the Heads Up technique to minimize the risk of head injuries. They’ve held a number of informational sessions for parents, and reviewed the signs and symptoms of concussion with parents and players. Should a child exhibit any signs of concussion, he’ll be barred from further play until a medical professional clears him for return. My 13-year-old even underwent ImPACT testing to evaluate his baseline brain function. Should he experience a head injury, he’ll be re-tested, and the results will be compared to his baseline. He won’t be able to return to play until subsequent testing reveals that he’s fully recovered.
Plus, my next-door neighbor, a physician, frequently volunteers along the sidelines of community football games. She’s not paid for her services, but she’s there more often than not anyway, because she cares about this kids of this community and wants to keep them safe.
Given all of that, I’m OK with my boys playing football. Are you? Do you let your boys play football? Why or why not?
4 Responses
nope nope nope nope. I didn’t even let them play flag football when they were little because I thought it would just be the gateway drug to the tackle teams. I suspect that football as a sport is on its way out. I think it will go the way of boxing. The South will probably hang on the longest, so my boys are familiar with how to play and they’ll participate in pick up games on the playground, but that’s all.
It’s interesting how attitudes towards certain sports evolve over time, isn’t it? I’d tend to agree with you that football is on it’s way out, except for the fact that the NFL is so incredibly popular. Will be interesting to see what kinds of rule and safety changes they make in the next few years.
You mentioned pick-up games at the playground. Is that at school, or at community playgrounds? Our school was banning all ball sports for awhile, out of concerns of injury and liability. You can read about it here: https://buildingboys.net/kids-play/
Playground at the elementary school level, backyards at all ages. Of course, we blame football for one broken finger already! (Altho if the kid had CAUGHT the ball, he wouldn’t have broken his finger!) We’re in Atlanta and they won’t be banning any sports for a long time here in The South. (note capitalization!)
My boys play football. They also play lacrosse and wrestle. I currently have a 7th grader playing football on his middle school team and boy #3 just started on his first tackle team. He’s in Kindergarten. Boy #4 (currently 3) will play football too. He wants to do it now… it will be hard to keep him off the field for 2 more years.
(I understand the risk. Like the article author, I respect the decisions of those who choose other activities and don’t allow participation in football. Please respect our decision to allow our kids to play. I don’t need/want to be flamed for sharing this.)
There are 2 reasons that I support my boys’ desires to play sports – including football.
The first is that I think there are a great many life lessons that are taught through participation in team sports. Life is all about working as a team to accomplish shared goals. It’s also about learning how to succeed – and fail – gracefully. Building friendships, learning to count on others, self-confidence, following directions, discipline, etc etc etc. The list goes on and on. There are many positive things that come out of sports that have nothing at all to do with the sport itself.
The second reason comes from the boys themselves. It’s the love of the game. My oldest describes football as a drug. He’s addicted to the high he gets from it. And I would much prefer this addiction than many others he could have. As long as they love to play and have fun – we will be there with registration fees and new cleats and spirit wear.
I get that it’s a dangerous sport, but other sports produce nearly as many injuries. Football tops the concussion rates, but hockey, soccer and lacrosse are right behind it. Don’t believe that? Do a quick google search. There have been many studies on the subject.
Our coaches have taken all the same precautions as those listed in the article. We have read the statistics. We made a decision to let them play. And we watch. And we pray. And we love the experience.