Is Football in danger

[Darkhorse#34]

Just concerned bout some things I been seeing people post and talk about in the wake of the injury to Pittsburgh Steeler Linebacker Ryan Shazier.....seeing parents post my son will not play this sport etc etc.....its sad...its very unfortunate what happened to Shazier and the ones that suffer from CTE and ither horrific injuries but why denied your sons the chance to play this great sport cause you’re scared? Its like saying I wont allow my child to ride in a car for risk of being in a accident or swim in a pool for risk of drowning....I played football from the time I was 7 till age of 18 it was the best time of my life and it was not just the sport but the friends I made the coaches who became mentors and the life lessons I learned that still have a positive impact on me today.....alot of young men and women in some cases are going to miss out on those things cause parent is scared.....the worse injury I suffered was a high ankle sprain and having the wind knocked out of my a couple times oh and stingers those sucked too....my kids will play football if they want to I wont force them but as much as I love the game im sure they will too....all I can do is trust the coaches teaching them the proper techniques and pray.....just worried Football as we know it may disappear

 

[ocdavis31]

Just concerned bout some things I been seeing people post and talk about in the wake of the injury to Pittsburgh Steeler Linebacker Ryan Shazier.....seeing parents post my son will not play this sport etc etc.....its sad...its very unfortunate what happened to Shazier and the ones that suffer from CTE and ither horrific injuries but why denied your sons the chance to play this great sport cause you’re scared? Its like saying I wont allow my child to ride in a car for risk of being in a accident or swim in a pool for risk of drowning....I played football from the time I was 7 till age of 18 it was the best time of my life and it was not just the sport but the friends I made the coaches who became mentors and the life lessons I learned that still have a positive impact on me today.....alot of young men and women in some cases are going to miss out on those things cause parent is scared.....the worse injury I suffered was a high ankle sprain and having the wind knocked out of my a couple times oh and stingers those sucked too....my kids will play football if they want to I wont force them but as much as I love the game im sure they will too....all I can do is trust the coaches teaching them the proper techniques and pray.....just worried Football as we know it may disappear

Curious as to posters’ opinions on the appropriate age for kids to start playing full contact football.

 

[beamer24]

My kid started in Kindergarten and has played for 4 years. I help coach and I tell parents if a kid will protect himself he should play. We don't do a lot of full contact and we match kids up in drills based on size and skill. In 4 years we've had no one get bad hurt but 2 players 1 year broke bones on the monkey bars at school.

 

[allabouthebiz20]

The key is learning the right way to tackle. No longer can it be taught just hit moving targets got to make sure we are teaching proper fundamentals..

 

[Steelers71]

A lot of HS coaches are teaching through the Head Up program which is good for keeping parents happy about the safety of the game. Improving techniques for blocking and tackling is key to the success of the great game. Also, many coaches are teaching roll tackling and or hawk tackling. I don't like it myself, but you have to change with the times if we want football in the future.

 

[TVILLEDAWG2370]

You can teach proper tackling all you want,but what happened to the Pittsburgh player is still going to happen and he was a PROFESSIONAL PLAYER,and I'm sure he was taught the proper tackling technique all the way up to the pro ranks,nothing is 100% fail proof

My youngest son played and it never even crossed my mind about not wanting him to play because of fear of serious injury,he wanted to and he loved every second of it,we talk about his playing days all the time

 

[Steelers71]

That's true. It sucks what happened to Shazier! It's one of the hazards of the game. But, trying to convince the public we are trying to make the game safer is key to keeping football the way we like it. Not 7 on 7.

 

[ocdavis31]

So is there a place for flag football for young kids to teach them the fundamentals of football? If so, at what point should they move up to tackle football?

 

[HitmanT]

What happened with the Steelers game is what used to happen all the time in the old days.


Let's leave politics out of this.

 

[Steelers71]

So is there a place for flag football for young kids to teach them the fundamentals of football? If so, at what point should they move up to tackle football?

That's a great question. I think you play flag football up until 7th grade. Then make sure to have coaches at the middle school levels who go through the same teaching process as the HS coaches do. Such as the Heads Up Program, NFHS concussion classes, etc. Many coaches are lay coaches with little to no formal training.

 

[beamer24]

We also go through the heads up certification process for our coaches.

 

[Chopper747]

As for the topic I don't think football is in danger. I do think kids interests are changing and things run in cycles. There maybe another generation of kids who it may become more popular with. There are lots of people and kids overseas who love to watch American football as much as they love soccer and would like an opportunity to play. Nobody likes to get injured or hit. To be honest it's just a matter of improving on equipment and methods of play to keep injuries to a minimum. Broken bones or life changing injuries should never be expected and there should be a goal to minimize that, but I feel that improvments in equipment and methods of play will help with that.

Somebody mentioned flag football, I played in flag football league and to me that can be sometimes more dangerous than padded football. Lots of injuries occur with flag football also.

 

[Mopar forever]

That's a great question. I think you play flag football up until 7th grade. Then make sure to have coaches at the middle school levels who go through the same teaching process as the HS coaches do. Such as the Heads Up Program, NFHS concussion classes, etc. Many coaches are lay coaches with little to no formal training.

7 th grade you kidding right ? If not wow that's a terrible idea. I have coached youth football for 8 years and have seen a couple broken bone and 1 real concussion. And our kids started playing at 5. It's football not its not a safe game and has never been and as long as men run wide open and hit each other it will never be safe.

 

[Chopper747]

7 th grade you kidding right ? If not wow that's a terrible idea. I have coached youth football for 8 years and have seen a couple broken bone and 1 real concussion. And our kids started playing at 5. It's football not its not a safe game and has never been and as long as men run wide open and hit each other it will never be safe.

I mentioned earlier flag football is not injury free either. I've had more injuries playing flag football than I ever had playing padded football.

 

[HitmanT]

Leave politics off this site!

 

[BlackBear95]

That's a great question. I think you play flag football up until 7th grade. Then make sure to have coaches at the middle school levels who go through the same teaching process as the HS coaches do. Such as the Heads Up Program, NFHS concussion classes, etc. Many coaches are lay coaches with little to no formal training.

The only problem with this is the children who are built to play line are excluded from 7 on 7 flag football. Our high school coach started a 7 on 7 spring program, which is highly beneficial for the skill players. My son absolutely loved it, but he loves the contact game more. This past year was my sons 3rd year of youth football. He absolutely loves it. He has had his share of bumps and bruises, but has never complained.

 

[Steelers71]

I think for the development of Lineman they could be working on blocking/ tackling vs. pads. Also, get all kids involved in wrestling. It doesn't carry the stigma of concussions, and you leave leverage, strength, tackling, etc. Just MHO. I want football to succeed and I don't think it is necessary to play until later in life when the body is more developed for contact. That's why I say 7th grade.

 

[my_2cents]

I would not be surprised to see football either obsolete or greatly changed in fifty years. The injuries and potential for injuries, along with other factors, will most likely continue to lead to this.

I know some on here may not like this or agree, but I also wouldn't be shocked to see soccer continue to grow in popularity in the USA and the MLS eventually become something similar to the NFL. MLS popularity continues to grow and MLS games are fun to attend.

 

[my_2cents]

Leave politics out of this!

 

[btango]

Brain trauma is the big question mark. What are the consequences 35 or 50 years from now when a former footballer is 50 or 60 years old.

The game has changed drastically since 1967 and it can only be imagined what is will look like in 2067. Better, lighter equipment. Much larger, stronger, and faster players. More wide open with more full speed hits in open field.

Love the game! Hope it only improves and is not made obsolete due to the hitting.

 

[CatScratchFever23]

When the field dimensions were developed they had no idea of the players would have the size,
speed and strength of the players today. I read an article in Sports Illustrated that 400 lb linemen were on the way.

Absent widening the field and/ or taking the helmets away, I don’t know what they will do. They may play themselves out of a game.

 

[maybelline]

Just concerned bout some things I been seeing people post and talk about in the wake of the injury to Pittsburgh Steeler Linebacker Ryan Shazier.....seeing parents post my son will not play this sport etc etc.....its sad...its very unfortunate what happened to Shazier and the ones that suffer from CTE and ither horrific injuries but why denied your sons the chance to play this great sport cause you’re scared? Its like saying I wont allow my child to ride in a car for risk of being in a accident or swim in a pool for risk of drowning....I played football from the time I was 7 till age of 18 it was the best time of my life and it was not just the sport but the friends I made the coaches who became mentors and the life lessons I learned that still have a positive impact on me today.....alot of young men and women in some cases are going to miss out on those things cause parent is scared.....the worse injury I suffered was a high ankle sprain and having the wind knocked out of my a couple times oh and stingers those sucked too....my kids will play football if they want to I wont force them but as much as I love the game im sure they will too....all I can do is trust the coaches teaching them the proper techniques and pray.....just worried Football as we know it may disappear

My daughter will not let grandson play. He is 6' 4" 185, played DE freshman year. Also plays basketball, and a left handed pitcher. Most of all he is a A-B honors classes student. It is not worth the risk of CTE, and no matter how you coach there is a good possibility it could happen. I think as parents you have to ask yourself is it worth a brain injury to my son to play football? It is the cumulative of repeated hits, not just the one major hit that will cause problems in the "average player". I coached HS football as an assistant for over 20 years and have seen a multitude of concussions, some much worse than others, but they all will take a toll. Your choice for risk versus reward.

 

[my_2cents]

My daughter will not let grandson play. He is 6' 4" 185, played DE freshman year. Also plays basketball, and a left handed pitcher. Most of all he is a A-B honors classes student. It is not worth the risk of CTE, and no matter how you coach there is a good possibility it could happen. I think as parents you have to ask yourself is it worth a brain injury to my son to play football? It is the cumulative of repeated hits, not just the one major hit that will cause problems in the "average player". I coached HS football as an assistant for over 20 years and have seen a multitude of concussions, some much worse than others, but they all will take a toll. Your choice for risk versus reward.

Many parents are making the same decision your daughter made. I've talked to a number of friends who don't want or allow their kids to play football.

And I understand it. I love the game but I honestly don't know if I want my sons playing it.

 

[Darkhorse#34]

My daughter will not let grandson play. He is 6' 4" 185, played DE freshman year. Also plays basketball, and a left handed pitcher. Most of all he is a A-B honors classes student. It is not worth the risk of CTE, and no matter how you coach there is a good possibility it could happen. I think as parents you have to ask yourself is it worth a brain injury to my son to play football? It is the cumulative of repeated hits, not just the one major hit that will cause problems in the "average player". I coached HS football as an assistant for over 20 years and have seen a multitude of concussions, some much worse than others, but they all will take a toll. Your choice for risk versus reward.

Does she know you can get concussions playing basketball or get struck by the baseball after pitching.....just saying any sport there is a risk....living life is a risk....riding in a car nowadays is about as safe as being deployed in Afghanistan....but everyone has their opinion im not holding my kids back especially if they want to play....cant live life being scared all the time

 

[96panther]

well said!

 

[marsgreen]

My kid started in Kindergarten and has played for 4 years. I help coach and I tell parents if a kid will protect himself he should play. We don't do a lot of full contact and we match kids up in drills based on size and skill. In 4 years we've had no one get bad hurt but 2 players 1 year broke bones on the monkey bars at school.

I have a buddy who coaches Middle school. In his 8 plus years of coaching Only 3 concussions with those guys returning to play. He has lost 15 kids to 4 wheeling, dirt bikes, lost his QB one year fell out of a tree broke his arm. Lost a RB to broken collarbone from jumping ramp and falling off bike.

 

[CatScratchFever23]

Broken arms and collarbones mend. Brain injury is likely permanent. A few things are almost certain, the game is going to change (probably not for the better for us old school guys) and the referrees are going to become an even bigger part of the game.

 

[HitmanT]

x

 

[WRH Nub Tail]

Why all the focus on football injury’s? People get hurt all the time in other sports as well. We just had a benefit in Duplin Co for a lady who was playing in a fund raiser softball game and was hit in the face with a ball hit off the bat. Just one example People get concussions as much if not more playing soccer than football. How about the guy playing college basketball, a few years that broke his leg and the bone was sticking out of his skin? I’ve seen video of a hockey player getting his throat cut by a fellow players skate blade. I could go on and on but everyone gets the idea, there is danger in everything we do. Keep legitimate, sensable rules and good safety equipment and proper coaching and teaching. I like what an above post said are we gonna stop our children from swimming, boating riding in cars or airplanes? You can get injured or die dying pretty much anything. Toughening up America while there still is an America!

 

[Darkhorse#34]

Agree 100% with comment above.....bubble wrap your children and keep em in the house if your really that scared.....but like i said everyone had their own opinions....I feel sorry for the kids missing out on a great experience

 

[96panther]

how did this turn into a political discussion?

 

[ocdavis31]

how did this turn into a political discussion?

Often these days, when people disagree, they immediately begin to attack the other person’s political affiliation. This issue has nothing to do with partisan politics. It’s about finding ways to keep the game we love and provide as much protection for young kids as possible. It’s about equipment. It’s about coaching and training for coaches. It’s about determining at what age most kids can hold their heads upright with a football helmet on so that they can protect themselves, and understanding that really young kids may not be able to exercise the judgment to protect themselves and practice what they have been taught.

What it’s mostly about is trying our best as parents to be sure we aren’t projecting our own egos onto our kids. To support them in whatever activities appeal to them, not to us. Yes, my son played football and was a two-time all-conference performer a couple of years ago. But I absolutely don’t want our kids to do it the way I did it in the 60’s and 70’s. We weren’t tough and manly when we held up three fingers, let the player count them, pat them on the butt and sent them back into the game. We were just ignorant.

Yes, every activity has inherent risks. But some have more critical and serious risks and potential consequences than others. Mitigating that risk by good decisions and practices is our responsibility as adults. Most people understand that a pitch count for young pitchers is just smart. But there was no such thing in the 60’s when I played little league.
My son started playing football in the seventh grade because he chose other activities. When he decided to play, I supported him. But at no point did I try to push him into football, even though I love the sport. He was a pretty good soccer player and actually played both for a few years. Frankly, I’m relieved that he didn’t choose football in elementary school. But that’s a decision we each have to make.

 

[Squirrel Gravy]

My kids wont play football until the seventh grade. You can't learn anything in the fourth grade that you won't learn in the seventh. Around that age your brain casing gets more developed and better at protecting you and the player should have better body control and decision making at that point. There are exceptions, of course, but coaching also generally gets better in middle school (although I think that anybody that is concerned about this matter should talk to the coaches and get a feel for their thoughts as well.) I heard a little league coach give an interview on the radio a couple years ago (not mentioning the school system, but he wasn't associated with my Franklin Panthers) and he said that he thought the issue was propaganda to keep kids from playing football. My son would not play for anybody who ever voiced that opinion, much less over the radio.

I think what most people tend to miss in these conversations, although it was mentioned earlier, is that it isn't just concussions that is the problem. The biggest problem is repeated brain trauma over time. Little kids can receive the same trauma as older kids because their heads are more vulnerable even if they aren't moving at the same speeds.

I do hate that people see what happens in the NFL and correlate that to their kids. By the time folks are in the NFL they don't even look human anymore they are so jacked up, strong and fast. Brain protection just can't keep up with muscle development at that level.

Sorry if my thoughts are all over the place, but I was an undersized lineman that felt the need to lead with my facemask on every block. I still have my helmet, it has colors from the last 5-6 teams we played streaked all across the sides.

 

[my_2cents]

I don't disagree HitmanT that Capernick and other NFL players exercising their First Amendment rights has hurt ratings among a certain demographic. However, there are other factors at play than just that and the assertion that "liberals" hate football is silly.

There has been a general ratings drop for the entire major sports industry since 2015. Most professional sports have seen a drop in ratings. The NFL's ratings dip is nothing compared to what NASCAR has experienced, as well as the NBA, for example. And the NFL's attendance numbers are right in line with 2015 and 2016, with some franchises seeing an increase in attendance (while others, of course, have seen a decrease). Not to mention that some franchises have had an attendance issues for a number of years. The NFL continues to be, by far, the most watched sports league in America.

And this isn't the first time a ratings dip for the NFL has happened btw. There were similar dips in the 1980s, 90s, and the early 2000s.

It is also interesting to note that while the major sports have seen anywhere from a minor decline to a major decline, MLS has seen a minor uptick in their TV ratings. Of course, MLS is no where close to the viewership numbers that the NFL commands, yet.

 

[my_2cents]

bubble wrap your children and keep em in the house if your really that scared

This isn't about bubble wrapping your children or parents being scared. It is about parents being prudent and wanting to protect their children from unnecessary harms or risks.

Yes, there are health risks with any sport. But football presents some serious risks that other sports don't (or at least not at the same level football does).

I understand we all love the game of football here, but I would think we can all be honest about the dangers associated with playing it as compared to other sports. To attack parents who decide to steer their children to other sports as being fearful individuals who are coddling their children is wrong in my opinion. They are doing what they believe is best for their children and knowing the game, we shouldn't be shocked by such action.

 

[marsgreen]

Kid plays football 7th grade year, no problems. No football 8th grade year, parents don’t want him to play. He plays basketball, 3 games in violent collision going after loose ball. Due to concussion the kid never plays a sport again. Still to this day suffers from headaches. He was a good football player with size. He was not a basketball player, he played due to parents not letting play football. Athletic talent. Like I’ve said I have a buddy who coaches football and he loses kids more to other activities than football. Lost a kid to dirt bike accident, head trauma, kid never plays in football/ any sports again.

 

[maybelline]

Does she know you can get concussions playing basketball or get struck by the baseball after pitching.....just saying any sport there is a risk....living life is a risk....riding in a car nowadays is about as safe as being deployed in Afghanistan....but everyone has their opinion im not holding my kids back especially if they want to play....cant live life being scared all the time

This is true, but in football where there is intentional contact/impact on every play the possibility of getting a concussion is exponentially higher than any other high school sport.

 

[96panther]

I don't disagree HitmanT that Capernick and other NFL players exercising their First Amendment rights has hurt ratings among a certain demographic. However, there are other factors at play than just that and the assertion that "liberals" hate football is silly.

There has been a general ratings drop for the entire major sports industry since 2015. Most professional sports have seen a drop in ratings. The NFL's ratings dip is nothing compared to what NASCAR has experienced, as well as the NBA, for example. And the NFL's attendance numbers are right in line with 2015 and 2016, with some franchises seeing an increase in attendance (while others, of course, have seen a decrease). Not to mention that some franchises have had an attendance issues for a number of years. The NFL continues to be, by far, the most watched sports league in America.

And this isn't the first time a ratings dip for the NFL has happened btw. There were similar dips in the 1980s, 90s, and the early 2000s.

It is also interesting to note that while the major sports have seen anywhere from a minor decline to a major decline, MLS has seen a minor uptick in their TV ratings. Of course, MLS is no where close to the viewership numbers that the NFL commands, yet.

im one of the rare sports fans who loves both soccer (international football) and football (American football) but on different levels. i love high school and college football both, but i havent watched the NFL or most pro sports much in years, with the exception of soccer. i watch MLS and English Premier league soccer regularly. for me the sport i watch depends almost entirely on the level (high school, college, pro) its being played at. i used to be a big time Redskins fan but i just lost most of my interest in the NFL over the years. i really dont know why but i have. especially considering how much i love high school football.

 

[Squirrel Gravy]

im one of the rare sports fans who loves both soccer (international football) and football (American football) but on different levels. i love high school and college football both, but i havent watched the NFL or most pro sports much in years, with the exception of soccer. i watch MLS and English Premier league soccer regularly. for me the sport i watch depends almost entirely on the level (high school, college, pro) its being played at. i used to be a big time Redskins fan but i just lost most of my interest in the NFL over the years. i really dont know why but i have. especially considering how much i love high school football.

I have absolutely no care or appreciation for soccer, despite trying to watch over the years, but I am with you on high school and college football being far more interesting than pro football. I still am a die-hard Dolphins fan, but I'm cool with catching updates or reading recaps of those games. But for college or high school ball, I could sit down and watch Moose Knuckle State (Go Knucks!) take on Upper South Central Michigan Farming Institute any day of the week. It's just more entertaining I guess. There is something exciting about the variability in matchups and I also think there is something about the players actually representing the names on the front of their jerseys instead of those on the back.

 

[dmie1]

I think football is in trouble all the way from top to bottom. There seem to be fewer and fewer kids playing in community ball and in school. If you look at the kids in the stands, you see more and more kids that very easily could be on the field. The NFL is pushing politics instead of entertaining the people that are paying to watch a football game. Who is the target audience at NFL games? Look in the stands and you will see. The NFL attendance and viewership is down and so are souvenir sales. There is even CONSTANT politics on the TV shows and who wants to watch that? From the top to the bottom I see issues.