High school football

[Bowhunter65]

In todays world would you let your son play high school football. so far in two games and grand total of 8 downs. I would not encourage him to quit, but will not encourage him to play next year. please be civil, my son is my best friend and I do not like seeing him whipped. he is a good athlete.

Terry

 

[flatlanderhuffandpuff]

I would encourage him to work hard and rely on his coach to make the calls. He will be served well in life if he can learn to buckle down even when it seems to be fruitless, at least for a while. If he quits it should be because he doesn't want to play football, not because he is taking his ball and going home.

Learning to be a part of a team is such an important thing.

 

[KurtR]

If my kid wants to he can he didnt want to play even though the coaches kept asking him this year. Maybe he will next year but he knows if he starts there is no quiting

 

[steelheadmike]

Thats a tough spot. If he is committed to it, he has to work really hard. Much like hunting, perseverance and dedication will pay some really nice dividends in the long run. But in the short team, he should be bust his ass in practice and keep his head down. Pouting about playing time is a guarantee to be benched all season. See how this year goes. If he still wants to play, engage the coaches and see where he needs to improve. Find the weight room. Live there for about 6 months...

Good luck to him.

 

[Boiler]

It's agonizing to see your boys struggle, but it's usually good for them. I would definitely encourage him to at least finish the season and work as hard as possible.

 

[Vandal 44]

I can tell you from my own experience that football is a painful game and it get worse as you get older. I started playing football in the 8th grade on to high school then, played five years division I football. In that time I had five knees surgeries (right knee ACL, PCL and a cleanup left knee ACL and PCL) and one right shoulder Rotator cuff surgery.

I am about to turn 50 in the next few months. I have now had an additional four more shoulder surgeries a Labral tear fix and clean up on the left shoulder and a labral tear and cleanup on the right shoulder. I also had a cleanup on both knees. I will have to have my right shoulder replaced in the next year or two.

This is all from playing the game that I loved and lifting heavy weights. People ask knowing what I know now would I have made different a decisions to play or not to play. There is no good answer some days yes and other days no. For me playing football had such an impact on my life both positive and negative. The one thing I wish for ever day is to not be in pain, however, the lessons and work ethic it instilled in me is priceless

I went from pulling 80 and 90 pounds bows back twenty years ago, to pulling 53 pounds now and its not easy 10 to 15 shots and I am done for the day.

I raised two daughters and did not have to worry about them playing football. I have a nephew that played football my brother in law asked me if he should let Kyle (my nephew) play football. I replied does he want to play if so let him with one condition the first major injury and he is finished playing.

I have a two year old grandson and my son in law want him to play football I am hoping my grandson likes baseball.

I believe whatever you as a dad show an interest and a passion in, your son/daughter will more likely follow your foot steps.

Let him play, first major injury discuss his future. He may think he is Superman (I did) inform him he is not.

 

[KJH]

Although its not for everyone, I absolutely encourage kids to play football. There is a lot about life, struggle, and perseverance that is taught throughout the course of each season. Football is about a team and being part of something bigger that shares a common goal. A team can't win without team mates to practice against. As long as you're trying to get better everyday its a personal win... a mental lesson that isn't taught often enough to our youth. Participation ribbons are not handed out for showing up at practice. I believe that uncoachable kids make unemployable adults or at least less than stellar employees. HS football is only 4 years of your life, and trains you for being a man and a person who can be a productive member of society, even if you are not someone in the spotlight. The parallels to life that football has are incredible.

Football is tough and its hard. Its more mental than physical. You have to want to dig down and work hard everyday. You have to work when you're tired and in pain and not complain. It teaches you to work harder among your peers. But the ability to stick with it separates some people from others. The facts are not everyone on the roster will play in the games, and thats OK. In life, not everyone gets what they want when they want it. Thats OK too. Whats important is how they persevere, develop mental toughness, and focus on being a great teammate. God gives us a lot of gifts in life, and the ability to be on a football team is one of them. I'm not saying that no playing football hurts you, but there is only an upside in my mind. Its a lesson in who you are that is hard to teach in any other sport the way it is in football.

Teddy Roosevelt was a scrawny kid who got whipped at EVERYTHING he ever tried until he was forced to learn boxing and wasn't allowed to quit. So he decided then (based on his personal memoirs) that he might as well try harder at it and get good at it so he wouldn't be as miserable. That gave him the mental toughness to lead an incredible life of mental and physical toughness that defined him.

I wish your son the best. I hope he sticks with it and learns who he can be, regardless of his playing time. Good luck dad.

 

[Beendare]

Yeah, I did......Its toughens them up.

I think every kid should strive to be part of a high school team sport. HS football takes everyone....not all sports do.

HS sports is tough. My kids went to a very competitive HS for sports. Example; every girl on the varsity soccer team has gotten a scholarship to play in college...for about the last 10 yrs straight.

The Freshman boys baseball tryout had 62 kids....and the crazy thing was; ALL of them were good. About 1/2 of those had their own coach. Plus it was very political. Anyway, I feel bad for the kids now that are decent athletes maybe still growing into their bodies that can't make those teams.

So my boy was one of those that washed out of sports early....and it actually worked out great as he realized he is going to do better with his brain than his body...second year at ND and he loves it.

 

[LostArra]

Speaking as an ex-high school coach (not football) and the father of four high school athletes who ranged from state champion to "never off the bench", I think it's better to not start a season than to quit during the season, excluding a serious injury. Everyone's athletic endeavors end at some time. Some just end sooner than others and there is not a wrong time to end it but quitting during a season seems to have more emotional and social baggage for the kid.

 

[blackpowderhunter]

I don't have any kids yet..but personally, i wouldn't push football. The head injuries anymore are starting to get scary. kids are bigger, stronger, and faster than before.
I played high school football at a very, very competitive school. I was not a small, undersized kid. entering high school my freshman year at 14 years old i was bench pressing 205 lbs. i also got hurt, had surgery, and have lasting effects.
to the argument of being on a sports team, i 100% agree to that. I also played baseball and wrestled. if you want a tough sport, that makes you dig deep down to see who you truly are at your core...try high school wrestling. 1:1 competition really pushes that out of you.
now are there possibilities of getting hurt wrestling, or baseball for that matter? yes, 100%...
it's just the head injuries that scare me.

 

[KJH]

I don't have any kids yet..but personally, i wouldn't push football. The head injuries anymore are starting to get scary. kids are bigger, stronger, and faster than before.
I played high school football at a very, very competitive school. I was not a small, undersized kid. entering high school my freshman year at 14 years old i was bench pressing 205 lbs. i also got hurt, had surgery, and have lasting effects.
to the argument of being on a sports team, i 100% agree to that. I also played baseball and wrestled. if you want a tough sport, that makes you dig deep down to see who you truly are at your core...try high school wrestling. 1:1 competition really pushes that out of you.
now are there possibilities of getting hurt wrestling, or baseball for that matter? yes, 100%...
it's just the head injuries that scare me.

I agree with wrestling 100%. Its the only other sport, besides football, that I truly really encourage kids to participate in. Football just teaches working for the good of the team in a way wrestling doesn't... thats the point I was trying to make with football. Mental toughness is something both of those sports require more than others because you are often in physical pain and still figure out how to go on. On the large scale, kids these days lack the discipline to be mentally tough. That's what scares me most about future generations. When it gets tough, will they just quit? I don't know but it worries me. Society seems to determine their fate, vs. them determining their own and knowing what its like to work hard.

Of course, there is no wrong answer in this discussion. But for me I have immense respect for the kid who goes out for football for 4 years and works through it day after day but never makes it on the field in a game. He may be a poor athlete, but you have to admit there is a certain amount of mental maturity there. He's a tough SOB and determined to work hard and be part of something bigger than himself. He's judged by his peers, coaches, and friends but doesn't give up. I respect that.

Head injuries are a real concern, but I'm not worried about the head injuries as much as others. There have been millions of HS football players over decades, and the actual percentage of them who have had any last effects from concussions will never be known, but I bet its small. Besides, there are more safety measures built into the game and technique of playing now than ever.

 

[WV Mountaineer]

It is good for him. Imagine what he will learn if he works hard and earns a starting role. Imagine what he will learn if he doesn't ever earn a spot after working for it. Pretty much the best preparation for what life has in store for him. There is no lose in it for him. If he decides not to play that is one thing. Quitting shouldn't be an option after starting for the season. There is no win in that for him. Our job as dads is to raise our children teaching them to be competent, fruitful adults. Prepare them for life the best we can. Not to rationalize their actions like a best friend would. You do that and you will do more for him then anything you can do.

 

[Gonewest]

Speaking as a father and a football coach here.

Don’t let your son quit. Don’t side with him if he’s complaining about the coaches. Challenge him to work as hard as he can in practice for the rest of the season.

Also, have him ask the coaches what he needs to do to play more.




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[PA 5-0]

Lots of great info above. My son Jake has played for 7yrs and is now living a country music song. He's a senior, second year as QB1, plays both sides, dating the hot cheerleader, in the paper every week, colleges all over him, etc,etc. NOTHING has shaped this kid's awesome character more than being on that field with his brothers and influence of the awesome coaches that he's played for. As a dad, you're his keeper. College scholarships or not, I'd pull my boy in a second if I thought he was hurting himself. That said, there's a big difference between being hurt and injured. If his mind is right, encourage him to climb the mountain. Daily weight room sessions and protein shakes fix a lot of shit.

As far as other sports, I've seen WAAAAAAAAAY more concussions in wrestling, soccer and girls volleyball(which I have coached). Three of our best wrestlers are permanently done with the sport because of repeated concussions.

Best of luck to you and your boy.

 

[307]

In my opinion football is simply not worth the downside. There are lots of sports to learn hard work, dedication, teamwork. Sports that do not require that you sacrifice the next 50 + years of your life to pain and dysfunction and sometimes significant disability. I love watching football, I come from an area where college football is nearly a religion, but I would not allow my kids to play. Thankfully, I have girls. I am fully aware of my own hypocrisy. I love to watch other people's sons play a game but I wouldn't allow my own to participate in the same game.

 

[jorgensen.travis]

Most of the benefits of playing football come from the practice, not game time. Even if he’s not playing much in games, he still gets the same practice experience. Learning how to try, work, deal with discomfort, and believe in themselves are what we’re looking for to turn boys into successful men. He’ll make gains and correlate success with hard work and sacrifice from the practice process even if he never becomes a star on game day. I’m a football and wrestling coach. Wrestling is on another level than football and creates unique individuals that few other things in our culture can match. I’m a middle aged construction worker, and most of my peers physical ailments are from lack of activity rather than from playing sports when they were young. Even the ones that complain about old injuries, in my opinion, are just using it as an excuse to sit around and watch sports on the coach (which is the real cause of their problems). I’d rather take the risk of my kids suffering physical injury, than having them not develop right physically and having diabetes by 25 years old.


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[jmez]

I have four young boys. I do and will continue to actively encourage them to play football. I won't force them to play but will be extremely disappointed if they choose not to. I played high school and three years of Div I. After my third year life decisions had to be made and I opted to quit and start professional school early. My brother played high school and 5 years of Div II ball. I have a love for the game. The only regret I have was not finishing the last two years.

I carry a different perspective than you do. It won't bother me to see my boys get whipped, and they will, when they are underclassmen. I also won't see it as a bad thing. If you don't want to get knocked around, work harder, and get stronger. Good things will come. Injuries were never a concern with me when I was playing, it won't be a huge concern when my boys hopefully play. It's football, it will happen.

 

[Bowhunter65]

Thanks guys, all great posts, no he would not want to quit. He works very hard. Down side is there are 49 kids on a freshman team. I want my son to be healthy, that is my worry. Again thank you.

Terry

 

[Mtnboy]

My son is about 14 years away from possibly playing High School football, but for me Football is going to be a no. Plenty of other good sports that teach hard work out there that don't require smacking your head on 80% of plays.

 

[AK Troutbum]

My son is about 14 years away from possibly playing High School football, but for me Football is going to be a no. Plenty of other good sports that teach hard work out there that don't require smacking your head on 80% of plays.

Yeah, I have to agree with this. As much as I love watching the sport, my son will not play it. As far as I’m concerned, it’s just too damn hard on the body, not to mention the head. The money that those NFL players make is beyond belief and absolutely mind boggling, but the price they pay is equal to, if not greater than that IMO. Plus, the chances of a person ever going that far and getting those kinds of contracts is probably a million to one, but you still pay for it regardless.


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