High school football

[CrzyTrekker]

In the Army I admired some of my fellow officers, former football players. They displayed a love of hard work and genuine teamwork. Having said that, I would never let my boys play football. Jason Hairston just died, and he struggled with CTE for years. He was still a vibrant, young man. Doctors are now saying that evidence of brain injuries is showing up in children under the age of 10.

A lot of other sports will develop toughness and mental endurance in a young man.

 

[beachbunny]

there are other team sports to instill virtue, knowing what i know now at 60 about injuries from my youth ,i would not push football at all

 

[CrzyTrekker]

there are other team sports to instill virtue, knowing what i know now at 60 about injuries from my youth ,i would not push football at all

Yeah, that's the other thing I remember about the Army - had a friend who was top of his class in college, a natural leader, and he was disqualified from serving as an officer due to football injuries sustained in high school. Brain injuries are just the tip of the iceberg. I don't know many youth that are mature enough to say "no" to high school glory in order to preserve their own future.

 

[FLAK]

Would not encourage it, I still deal with pain from asscociated injuries.

 

[WV Mountaineer]

Football is just the sport his boy is playing. A baseball from an errant young pitcher or a hard line drive, a trip and fall on a basketball floor while bumping your head, the absolute torture that wrestlers put themselves through to make weight, keep their weight up, plus the physical demand they put themselves through, etc... can all be dangerous to your kids. Each kid is different and football isn't for everyone. However what his kid will get from football is to finish what he started at the least. Don't condemn the sport. Millions and millions of kids play it without getting injured for life. Plus they get the discipline, team work effort, and lessons organized sports teach them.








I'll allow them to take that risk over raising my kid to be a quitter or, too scared to live any day. That has lasting implications as well.

 

[Trial153]

Risk vs reward. Not enough upside.

 

[Jauwater]

Football is just the sport his boy is playing. A baseball from an errant young pitcher or a hard line drive, a trip and fall on a basketball floor while bumping your head, the absolute torture that wrestlers put themselves through to make weight, keep their weight up, plus the physical demand they put themselves through, etc... can all be dangerous to your kids. Each kid is different and football isn't for everyone. However what his kid will get from football is to finish what he started at the least. Don't condemn the sport. Millions and millions of kids play it without getting injured for life. Plus they get the discipline, team work effort, and lessons organized sports teach them.








I'll allow them to take that risk over raising my kid to be a quitter or, too scared to live any day. That has lasting implications as well.

What he said

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[307]

Football is just the sport his boy is playing. A baseball from an errant young pitcher or a hard line drive, a trip and fall on a basketball floor while bumping your head, the absolute torture that wrestlers put themselves through to make weight, keep their weight up, plus the physical demand they put themselves through, etc... can all be dangerous to your kids. Each kid is different and football isn't for everyone. However what his kid will get from football is to finish what he started at the least. Don't condemn the sport. Millions and millions of kids play it without getting injured for life. Plus they get the discipline, team work effort, and lessons organized sports teach them.








I'll allow them to take that risk over raising my kid to be a quitter or, too scared to live any day. That has lasting implications as well.

The difference between the football and other sports (even other collision sports) is that brain trauma is expected and a normal part of play in EVERY game. Sometimes that trauma is bad enough to cause symptoms, ie concussion, but in pretty much every play, brains are sloshing around inside skulls and there is concern that even asymptomatic trauma can accumulate over time.

People cite the risk involved in other sports where head trauma is possible, either incidental as in soccer, or completely accidental, maybe tennis or swimming. Of course there is always some risk, but when brain trauma is a normal part of the sport in nearly every play, it becomes a completely different risk:reward evaluation IMO.

 

[jorgensen.travis]

Doctors are now saying that evidence of brain injuries is showing up in children under the age of 10.

I wonder how many brains of dead 10 year olds with extensive football experience they’ve examined. One of the things that makes football unique is that the lawyers got involved and made it a national headline. Sort of like saying only baseball players use steroids.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[skifunk2]

I agree with everyone else. Playing through this year is a must. Finish what you start no matter what. But, my suggestion... Golf team all the way!!!! Still part of a team, but you have individual matches, good excercise and starts you on the road for mental toughness, and calling a foul on yourself.
Laugh all you want, but Deep down inside, most probably agree.. especially those of us who still try to play golf.

 

[steve s]

Nope. I LIVED for football in high school.

Had a few friends with serious neck injuries, but cumulative small concussions are what I'd worry about. As more data comes out on concussions and CTE, it just doesn't make sense to bang heads with other kids at that or any age IMO. I never missed a game or practice but had wrist pain for 4 years and just had to return a CO goat tag after having a microdiscectomy last week. I am 45 and don't put that 100% on football, but no doubt it contributed (speaking as physical therapist looking back on a few hits and injuries by the way).

Teach him to use his brain for something more productive. Football taught me a lot about teamwork, work ethic, communication, achieving goals... That said, I recently watched one of my nephews learn those and more earning his Eagle Scout.

High School Football Players Face Bigger Concussion Risk | League of Denial: The NFL's Concussion Crisis | FRONTLINE | PBS | Official Site

 

[S.Clancy]

No way. My dad pushed us towards golf and tennis, thankfully.

 

[bowieknife50]

I played from 5th grade through high school. I never got a serious injury. In those years nobody on my team got a concussion. We were taught right heads up. I think a lot of it has to do with your level of play. Once you get into college ball everyone is fast and hits hard and the risks go up by an order of magnitude. Move up to the next level and it multiplies again. I agree with most he made a commitment and should honor it the season. After that let him decide because if he doesn't want to making him play will do more harm them good. I could die every time I get in my truck but that doesn't mean I'm not going to let my kids drive.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[WV Mountaineer]

The difference between the football and other sports (even other collision sports) is that brain trauma is expected and a normal part of play in EVERY game. Sometimes that trauma is bad enough to cause symptoms, ie concussion, but in pretty much every play, brains are sloshing around inside skulls and there is concern that even asymptomatic trauma can accumulate over time.

People cite the risk involved in other sports where head trauma is possible, either incidental as in soccer, or completely accidental, maybe tennis or swimming. Of course there is always some risk, but when brain trauma is a normal part of the sport in nearly every play, it becomes a completely different risk:reward evaluation IMO.

You can rationalize your choices by saying other sports aren't as dangerous. That is fine. It might be true. But the danger factor is not there in football like other things. Do you let them drive? Ride with their buddies? Go swimming?



In case you haven't noticed, the closer we get to raising our young men protecting them in every facet of life from potential threats that way, the more society pressures men for being a man. There are threats in ever thing they will do. That will not change when they become adults either. I understand your concerns. I had them too. I still worry about them. But, life is short. I chose to let them live it if they earned it.

 

[307]

You can rationalize your choices by saying other sports aren't as dangerous. That is fine. It might be true. But the danger factor is not there in football like other things. Do you let them drive? Ride with their buddies? Go swimming?



In case you haven't noticed, the closer we get to raising our young men protecting them in every facet of life from potential threats that way, the more society pressures men for being a man. There are threats in ever thing they will do. That will not change when they become adults either. I understand your concerns. I had them too. I still worry about them. But, life is short. I chose to let them live it if they earned it.

One only has to "rationalize" an apparently irrational decision.

Football absolutely carries a higher risk than other team sports. The danger factor is absolutely higher with football than other comparable activities. You cannot compare football to driving, they aren't in the same category. Driving is fairly necessary to modern life, and does carry some risk which I feel are outweighed by the benefits. As mine are 9 and 11, I choose not to let them drive. I feel that would be irrational. And I do let them swim, but not before they were taught to swim and respect water.

The problem with brain trauma is that you cannot mitigate it through training. It can't get "tougher". Playing football will absolutely result in brain trauma at some level, maybe even below symptomatic threshold... Even with zero concussions, the brain sloshing around in the skull is somewhat concerning IMO. That trauma may have zero consequence to the individual throughout their lives, or it may have absolutely catastrophic consequences for them and people around them. Is that risk acceptable, for a game?

Football, a game, is not necessary in anyone's life, and also carries some risk, significantly more than other sports and doesn't yield any benefits that can't be achieved by another sport, team or individual with a lower risk of debilitating injuries. I am not the one "rationalizing" any decision.

I have no problem taking calculated risks. I don't really have any problem with other people choosing to play football. Their life, their brain. One might argue that the costs to society and the health insurance pool do in fact make it my problem, but I'll ignore that for now.

The question posed was whether or not I would allow my kids to play football. My answer is quite clearly, "no", for the reasons stated.

 

[Trial153]

One only has to "rationalize" an apparently irrational decision.

Football absolutely carries a higher risk than other team sports. The danger factor is absolutely higher with football than other comparable activities. You cannot compare football to driving, they aren't in the same category. Driving is fairly necessary to modern life, and does carry some risk which I feel are outweighed by the benefits. As mine are 9 and 11, I choose not to let them drive. I feel that would be irrational. And I do let them swim, but not before they were taught to swim and respect water.

The problem with brain trauma is that you cannot mitigate it through training. It can't get "tougher". Playing football will absolutely result in brain trauma at some level, maybe even below symptomatic threshold... Even with zero concussions, the brain sloshing around in the skull is somewhat concerning IMO. That trauma may have zero consequence to the individual throughout their lives, or it may have absolutely catastrophic consequences for them and people around them. Is that risk acceptable, for a game?

Football, a game, is not necessary in anyone's life, and also carries some risk, significantly more than other sports and doesn't yield any benefits that can't be achieved by another sport, team or individual with a lower risk of debilitating injuries. I am not the one "rationalizing" any decision.

I have no problem taking calculated risks. I don't really have any problem with other people choosing to play football. Their life, their brain. One might argue that the costs to society and the health insurance pool do in fact make it my problem, but I'll ignore that for now.

The question posed was whether or not I would allow my kids to play football. My answer is quite clearly, "no", for the reasons stated.

Your making way too much sense.....

 

[307]

To be clear, I am not of the opinion that allowing a kid to play football is "bad" or that a parent who allows it is irrational. We all get to make those decisions for ourselves... Hell, I'm taking unnecessary risk as I solo backpack hunt for elk in an area with grizzly bears.

But I'm definitely not trying to minimize that decision by saying "all things have risk." I am taking unnecessary risk and I know that. I feel that the reward is worth it, but most people would feel that is incorrect at best, and irresponsible at worst. I'm OK with that.

 

[WV Mountaineer]

One only has to "rationalize" an apparently irrational decision.

Football absolutely carries a higher risk than other team sports. The danger factor is absolutely higher with football than other comparable activities. You cannot compare football to driving, they aren't in the same category. Driving is fairly necessary to modern life, and does carry some risk which I feel are outweighed by the benefits. As mine are 9 and 11, I choose not to let them drive. I feel that would be irrational. And I do let them swim, but not before they were taught to swim and respect water.

The problem with brain trauma is that you cannot mitigate it through training. It can't get "tougher". Playing football will absolutely result in brain trauma at some level, maybe even below symptomatic threshold... Even with zero concussions, the brain sloshing around in the skull is somewhat concerning IMO. That trauma may have zero consequence to the individual throughout their lives, or it may have absolutely catastrophic consequences for them and people around them. Is that risk acceptable, for a game?

Football, a game, is not necessary in anyone's life, and also carries some risk, significantly more than other sports and doesn't yield any benefits that can't be achieved by another sport, team or individual with a lower risk of debilitating injuries. I am not the one "rationalizing" any decision.

I have no problem taking calculated risks. I don't really have any problem with other people choosing to play football. Their life, their brain. One might argue that the costs to society and the health insurance pool do in fact make it my problem, but I'll ignore that for now.

The question posed was whether or not I would allow my kids to play football. My answer is quite clearly, "no", for the reasons stated.

I played football from the second grade through high school. Actually, I played every organized sport that was offered from the third grade through high school. Except basketball. My worst head injuries came from soccer. More importantly though, I have zero brain trauma despite you repeatedly saying it definitely causes it. Like I said, I understand your concerns. I respect your decision with your kids. What I don't acknowledge is your biased claims you know what the effects are for every one when you don't. No one does. Millions and millions of high school kids that play football will graduate this year with no injury. If that were not true we'd have a bunch of brain dead Americans males walking around by the time they hit their 40's. That isn't the case. This is why kids and parents think it is worth the risk.

You can base your feelings on your health insurance pool. But, I've never read where these millions and millions of brain injured, football playing men are affecting our premiums. That is your assumptions and a wild grasp to validate your personal feelings.

As far as the driving analogy, you are also simply trying to validate your feelings again. You in no way missed the point being made. You just chose to skirt it because it didn't fit your argument.

But, most importantly, The question posed was whether the OP should let his kid continuing playing. Not why you don't let your kids play and, why it is a good idea for everyone to agree. You made it about your kids with your reasoning why football was a no go in your home. Once again, I respect that. But, I do not buy your diagnosis for everyone that does chose to play.


By all means like I said way back, football isn't for everyone. As their parent, you make that decision for yours. However, you aren't making to much sense by trying to convince everyone your reasoning is best.


Mean no offense. And, I'm not insulting you or, your choices. I just don't agree with it is all. And, the last time I checked that was still ok.


God Bless men.

 

[JWP58]

I played into college (just a D3 in Texas...albeit a good one). And no I wouldn't. If my sons want to, great. Will I encourage them? No. Yes I learned a lot of good life lessons, work ethic, teamwork, accountability, etcetera...

But I also got a bum knee (dislocated patella X 3), a bulging disc, and many knocks to the noggin.

 

[S.Clancy]

I played into college (just a D3 in Texas...albeit a good one). And no I wouldn't. If my sons want to, great. Will I encourage them? No. Yes I learned a lot of good life lessons, work ethic, teamwork, accountability, etcetera...

But I also got a bum knee (dislocated patella X 3), a bulging disc, and many knocks to the noggin.

I don't get the "it teaches character" argument. Plenty of stuff does that, with less risk for long term consequences. Let the kid decide what he wants to do, but have an upfront, honest conversation with him about the benefits and potential consequences like you would an adult.