Should You Let Your Kid Play Football?

Basketball/Baseball/Golf/Tennis/TKD/Judo, band or whatever but no football is the plan. You know how plans go...

 

Only if you are of mice or men.

 

http://www.unequal.com

 

I don't have kids, but if I did, I would not let my boy kid play football. Nor would I let my girl kid play soccer. The two youth sports with the most incidence of concussions. (Not sure about boys playing soccer but probably right up there too.)

I recently read something well-researched about this, and there is substantial evidence to show that the long-term brain injuries suffered by NFL players don't even necessarily result from concussions, rather from the repeated sub-concussive blows to the head.

At the college and pro levels, coaches and trainers are more educated about head injuries and thus, theoretically anyway, more cautious.

At the youth levels, not so much. The programs don't have the $ for the education and so many of the coaches are volunteers just imitating what they see on TV, as 8 time posted above.

 

I hated watching those youth soccer matches when my daughter played. I saw some cringe worthy collisions of noggins when a ball would pop in the air and 2 players would both go for headers. It raised some pretty good bumps on heads and some mean black eyes. I always wondered how many kids were concussed that way. I was glad she quit soccer pretty early and just played hoops and volleyball.

 

I really wouldn't want my daughter playing any sports, period. If I had one...

 

I have two daughters who are young and not yet able to play in organized school sports. One is not athletic and the other is very athletic. I want them to participate recreationally to teach team and coordination, etc. But I agree - I would prefer they focus on academics, languages, and advanced classes rather than spend time in sports. Same for my boy actually. Golf would be a good option, since you can play it your whole life; I get a kick out of the old farts on the course - and I mean like in their 70s - enjoying the game. And beating me.

 

Our son is eight years old and constantly begs us to let him play tackle football. We don't let him. We've told him he can play in junior high if his grades are high enough and he stays out of trouble at school.

He plays baseball every season (spring/summer...we don't let him go year round). He's good at baseball. He's big kid for eight, already weighing 96 pounds. He hits the ball far and likes to play catcher.

In the fall and winter, he tries other sports. He's done lacrosse, soccer, flag football, and basketball. We hope he sticks with baseball and forgets about football by the time he gets to junior high school. Although, we live in Texas; so, that's not likely.

On the whole, we know kids don't hit puberty until they are 12-14 years old. Whatever happens when he's eight, then, we're not real worried about. We want him to do well in school, and he does. If he's still a good baseball player when everyone hit puberty, I hope he sticks with it. But, you never know.

He also does Taekwondo. We like that because it's something he can do his entire life.

 

Our daughter is six. She like soccer. She wants to play softball, and she will in the spring. She also does ballet...like 99% of other six year old girls.

She's too young to gauge yet what she really likes. Although, we do have some really serious parents on her soccer team who complain about the coaching. They're nuts. There's not one girl on her team or any team they play that really knows what is happening or what to do. Nor, should they.

Anyway, we've got a ways to go with her. If she likes some sport, we'll do our best to have her pursue it. If not, no biggie. We like that she is interested in school.

 

Why not? My daughter had great experiences and learned many life lessons playing team sports.

 

thanks Fan, he's had a decent fall...individual workouts now. Wow on your girls..it's more of the mental challenge and beating the "give up" gene. My daughter tried bowling and basketball and golf. Not super athletic but tried.

 

....yes.

....The more appropriate question is 'should you let your kids play?' Injuries are a part of growing up, at least in sports the kids are supervised and have appropriate uniforms, pads and protection. If I had been wearing a helmet, cup, mouth-piece, shin-guards, cleats, shoulder pads, etc., etc., etc., I could have avoided most childhood injuries and trauma....alas, without any adult supervision or proper instruction, I jumped my bike off of ramps, climbed to the tops of trees jumped off house roofs, played crack the whip, smear-the queer, pick up games of football, baseball, basketball, flips on trampolines that had springs and no safety nets and home-made moto-cross tracks

....so pretty much, if you want your child to avoid injury, don't have any

....gawd, this country is going straight down the crapper


ss

 

Agreed...

 

Gender role issues. If I had a daughter, I wouldn't outright ban her from sports -- I believe in letting kids pursuit their own interest; however, I definitely wouldn't encourage it. If she was determined to play a sport then I'd push her toward swimming, golf, or tennis.

 

I always tried to let my kids find their own way with just a little nudge here and there. I always had a baseline of requisites (schoolwork, jobs around the house etc.) but didn't try to steer them to my own personal preferences. It's hard to say if I would have stepped in and asked my son not to play football if I would have had the evidence we do today. It would give me pause.

 

My daughter went to a school that required all students to participate in 2 sports a year. So her gender role lessons were the same as every other girl at school. My only regret is that she hasn't stayed active in sports now that she is an adult even though she loved doing it as a kid all the way through HS.

 

I have coached youth football for over 15 years. There have been a lot of effort placed on safety when coaching. I can say it is night and day from when I played football. All the coaches I coach with take injuries much more serious which is a good thing. Players are more aware of the injuries as are the parents. If a player has a head injury of any kind he is finished for that game. Now trust me this seems to not be a popular decision with the parents. The parents are usually the ones that want the players back on the field. I find myself having this conversation several times a year with a dad or mom.

I have often been asked by parents if football is safe. I always reply the same way. Our coaching staff coaches football correctly and our players learn to tackle and block correctly but the teams we play have dirrerent coaches that sometimes do not.

With all that said football is a full contact sport that WILL place a player in a situation were they will be injured at some point. I fairness I have seen more youth players injured in baskeball. Players jumping for ball and having their feet knocked out from under them and hitting their head on the hardwood. Soccer you see knees and ankles, wrestling neck, shoulder, and backs.Baseball come with its injuries as well when you are hitting and throwing a hard ball.

I only mention these sports becasue my children play these sports and football has caused the least amount of injuries. After coaching for so long I feel blessed to have had at worst a sprained ankle with any of my players.

 

I understand your thought process and have total respect for you as a parent making making this decision but here is something to think about. When teaching tackle football to players 8-10 it is easier to teach the fundalmentals without injury. Youth players do not hit as hard and are far less likely to cause injury with the contact. The old school way of starting in middle school in my opinion is much more likely to lead to an injury for two reasons. One other players know how to tackle and flow harder because of comfort on the field. Two because middle school students are stronger, faster, and sometimes as large as some high school players.

 

You would have to get laid first.....

 

TDTW, I think that is a good plan. I think allowing your child to play tackle football at 8 years of age is misguided for the following reasons:

1. The more immature the brain is the more susceptible to injury it is. Therefore, the younger a player is the more likely a concussion suffered by that player will produce long term effects.

2. Musculosletal injuries tend to be more severe because of open growth plates. Simple fractures in adults can be much more serious in a younger player if the growtrh plate is involved(Salter fractures).

3. There is an enormous variance in physical maturity between players especially between the ages of 10 and 15. The so called late bloomers are at a distinct disadvantage and will more likely get a negative first impression from any sport but especially from a high contact sport.