Do you have concerns with your son(s) playing football?

[ChosenChildren]

I can't believe the ages they let kids play tackle football now. 'When I was a kid' we started tackle football in 7th grade...that's what, 12/13? Seems early enough

I think this is the key -- when I was young you didn't play tackle until 7th grade. I'm not sure why it changed.

I would go back to single platoon - the players would get smaller because they have to play both ways - no way a 320 pound slob can play 60 minutes

 

[ChosenChildren]

If you research the sport of rugby, the serious injuries are much less frequent than in football. They don't wear any pads or helmets in rugby!!!

 

[uihawk82]

lol this is hilarious bcl, well done.

Yes this is funny.

Even if they would have let me play fb in high school I was never fast enough to be a star and probably a starter. I havd good athletic ability but slow.

 

[tweeterhawk]

A lot of talk about this in the sports talk world.

If you have sons that are getting close to football playing age or presently play, do you have concerns for their long term health?

I have two daughters, so won't have to seriously consider this one until perhaps when I am a grandpa.

I still think HS football can be a great life teacher. But even the high school game is getting bigger, stronger and faster as the years go by.

While your thread regards football, some sectors here are concerned about the safety of roundball football, otherwise known as soccer. Concerns deal with head collisions, heading the ball (potential repeated trauma to the skull, brain and neck), tackles (leg, knee, ankle injuries) and (especially for girls and young women due to their physiques) ACL tears.

Some people are advocating that all players be required to wear soft helmets to cushion the head in the event of collisions or heading the ball and, hopefully, limit the chance of concussion.

Will be interesting to see how the current debate over pointy-ball football, and any steps taken to make it safer, spills over to soccer.

 

[uihawk82]

As I am one of the 'elder statesmen' on here I will say I encouraged my sons to play sports. They did play little league baseball but that was it. they never wanted to play football. I'm pretty sure they damaged enough brain cells drinking anyway! I saw a replay of a high school athelete sliding head first into second base. He hit his head on the opposing players knee and broke his neck and is now paralized. Injuries happen in any sport so it is important that parents take time to make sure the coaches they entrust their children to are teaching things the right way.

Yes, and no one expected that baseball coach a couple years ago to get hit in the head with a line drive and die.

Really, it is just a matter of calculated risk.

Many football spinal injuries seem to occur when a player making a tackle gets hit by his own teammate or pushed wildly into another player so that their head is down exposing the cervical vertabrae,

 

[theboat]

How are you going to make sure the other kids are doing it the right way? All it takes OS one dumb kid going head to head. It can happen anywhere but football is more prone to it happening and there is no way to argue that.

I am going to teach my kids to lead there life and do what they want to do (within reason). There are always reasons not to do something.

 

[ssckelley]

My youngest boy eats and sleeps football and the potential for injuries scares the crap out of me. I love watching football but I don't know if I want my kids to play it. He also loves basketball, baseball, and wrestling and none of those sports do you read about someone killing themselves because they were unable to cope with the injuries they received playing the sport. At one time I thought football would pay off if you were good enough to get a scholarship or play it professionally, but I am having second thoughts about that point of view as well.

 

[theboat]

He also loves basketball, baseball, and wrestling and none of those sports do you read about someone killing themselves because they were unable to cope with the injuries they received playing the sport. .

Give Starbury a couple years.

 

[uihawk82]

Heh, cosign here.

Haven't there been advances in helmets? I keep hearing that much safer helmets are or could be available, but colleges/pros have resisted them. What about youth leagues and high schools?

The story above about a 10-yr-old having headaches for 2 weeks afterwards is scary as hell.

A football helmet does not stop the brain from crashing into the inside part of the skull. They are trying to make helmets which pad more and maybe create less deceleration.

But if you are running full speed and someone comes full speed at you with a direct helmet to helmet hit the sudden and drastic deceleration of your head does not mean your brain doesnt keep moving forward and hit the skull.

We all know of people, even famous people, who have fallen, hit their head and within a few hours have died because a major artery or vein in the skull was torn.

A football helmet would have to break into a million pieces like the carbon cocoon of a indy car to absorb all the impact.

Bigger padded helmets will help but maybe not that much.

 

[uihawk82]

Is everyone mulling over my previous graphically detailed thread?

 

[Easton]

I am going to teach my kids to lead there life and do what they want to do (within reason). There are always reasons not to do something.

Bubble wrap or brain dead tough choice. I guess I would rather see my sons grow up to be more then former high school heroes

 

[bcl20]

I can't believe the ages they let kids play tackle football now. 'When I was a kid' we started tackle football in 7th grade...that's what, 12/13? Seems early enough

I'm 26 and that's about when people started playing. There was a traveling team in my area that people could join younger but I only knew one kid who did. Every one else (including some kids who played D-1) started in 7th grade.

 

[Thawki]

Yeah, that's the case.

So my dad didn't care about me?

You kind of miss the point here, hawkeye11and1. Just because your dad let you play doesn't mean he didn't have concernes. The poster here says he has concerns, just like he has about his boy doing anything. That doesn't mean he dosn't let his boy do those things. It means he has concernes.

Additionally, part of the reason this is a hot topic now is because we understand what has happened to the brains of some players after they are out of football and how it has led to memory loss oe early Alzheimers symptoms and possible mental illness that has resulted in depression/suicide. Depending upon your age that probably wouldn't have been a consideration for your father.

I am continually amazed at how some people can respond to a post in a manner that leads me to believe they just didn't read the post or can't reason what it says properly. I never would have thought the poster saying "or your dad didn't give a crap about you" would be interpreted as if your dad let you play he didn't give a crap about you. But you were so quick to take offense of the idea that football might be dangerous that it is exactly the conclusion you drew.

 

[Cheese]

This past fall was my last year of high school ball. I know i had at least one concussion. I was seeing stars and i must have slept for over 12 hours following the game. Maybe its just my stubbornness, but sitting out games was never something i wanted to do. I think in the end, its the player who has to decide if he wants to play. I wish people would stop telling the NFL what to do about it. By now, the players should know exactly what theyre signing up for.

 

[MNHawkeyeFreak]

This past fall was my last year of high school ball. I know i had at least one concussion. I was seeing stars and i must have slept for over 12 hours following the game. Maybe its just my stubbornness, but sitting out games was never something i wanted to do. I think in the end, its the player who has to decide if he wants to play. I wish people would stop telling the NFL what to do about it. By now, the players should know exactly what theyre signing up for.

I think you may have drain bamage.

 

[Thawki]

A lot of talk about this in the sports talk world.

If you have sons that are getting close to football playing age or presently play, do you have concerns for their long term health?

I have two daughters, so won't have to seriously consider this one until perhaps when I am a grandpa.

I still think HS football can be a great life teacher. But even the high school game is getting bigger, stronger and faster as the years go by.

I don't have a son. But if I did my concerns would increase as he went further on with the sport. I am willing to bet there probably is little harm that is done if someone isn't absorbing hits after high school football. But in a way I am glad I don't have to concern myself with it.

 

[theboat]

Bubble wrap or brain dead tough choice. I guess I would rather see my sons grow up to be more then former high school heroes

If that is your attitude, you better close the shutters and lock the door.

 

[Hawkeye11en1]

You kind of miss the point here, hawkeye11and1. Just because your dad let you play doesn't mean he didn't have concernes. The poster here says he has concerns, just like he has about his boy doing anything. That doesn't mean he dosn't let his boy do those things. It means he has concernes.

Additionally, part of the reason this is a hot topic now is because we understand what has happened to the brains of some players after they are out of football and how it has led to memory loss oe early Alzheimers symptoms and possible mental illness that has resulted in depression/suicide. Depending upon your age that probably wouldn't have been a consideration for your father.

I am continually amazed at how some people can respond to a post in a manner that leads me to believe they just didn't read the post or can't reason what it says properly. I never would have thought the poster saying "or your dad didn't give a crap about you" would be interpreted as if your dad let you play he didn't give a crap about you. But you were so quick to take offense of the idea that football might be dangerous that it is exactly the conclusion you drew.

He said:

don't give a crap about your boy(s).

I got that point loud and clear, and his idea of being a parent being the one and only. I am continually amazed at how I am supposed to take that any differently.

Also, I don't think my dad concerned himself with me getting hurt. He just liked watching me play.

 

[Cheese]

I think you may have drain bamage.

that avatar of yours may indicate the same for you.

 

[MNHawkeyeFreak]

that avatar of yours may indicate the same for you.

My avatar is wearing a pretty crown. Yours looks like its about to puke and wearing a western shirt.