www.menshealth.com/health/a21346159/should-kids-play-football/
Is tackle football too dangerous for children? As the link between tackle football and permanent brain damage becomes increasingly stronger, we must ask ourselves, should we allow our kids to play football? Should schools even offer football? Is football more hazardous than other contact sports, such as ice hockey, lacrosse, or soccer? Do the benefits of contact sports on childhood development offset the potential risks?
In a country where millions of young boys and young men choose
football as their sport, where high school and college football teams are a big
business, and where the richest sports enterprise is the NFL, saying we should eliminate youth football is
like David taking on Goliath. It’s almost un-American to think boys should stop
playing football.
Yet, in recent years, light has been shed on the dangers of
football. Injuries are commonplace, with many of them relating to ankle, knee,
and the spine. However, the most critical-and the most ignored-are brain
injuries, like concussions. In 2002, Bennet Omalu, a forensic pathologist and neuropathologist,
discovered Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) in Mike Webster’s brain. Mike
Webster played center in NFL football for 16 years, and after retiring, suffered
from amnesia, depressions and dementia. This was the first time CTE, then known
as “punch-drunk syndrome” had been found in a football player and not a boxer. CTE
is the result of frequent head knocks, so steps were taken to protect players’
brains. This included upgrading helmets, limiting full contact during
practices, and even going as far as eliminating tackles entirely during
practices.
Omalu’s findings raised another question. Is it ok for children
to be playing tackle football? Experts and parents are divided. Kids’ growing
and developing bodies and brains can experience multiple injuries in contact
sports, especially concussions. According to one source, a
kid in an organized youth football league can take on anywhere between 240-585
hits on the head over the course of one season. Numerous concussions will
accumulate over time into long term health effects, which can affect one deep
into adulthood. Advocates against children playing football say kids should not
be allowed to play tackle football because of all the health risks, while
critics of such a ban say the benefits of football outweigh all the risks.
www.menshealth.com/health/a21346159/should-kids-play-football/
I’m not a huge fan of football, and though I enjoy watching
it occasionally, I do not believe we should let children play football now
knowing about the high risks. Brain injuries are nothing to scoff at. I
understand that teamwork and physical activity are beneficial, even necessary
for kids to experience, but kids should choose alternatives to football for
sports activity.
Over the course of these blogs and my research for the
argument essay, I will explore this topic. I hope to find out answers to many
of the questions listed at the top, and to learn more about the effects of concussions on children.
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ReplyDeleteI’m very used to football thanks to my dad and brother, but after reading your post, I now have many more questions in my head. The fact that a single child can take 240 to 585 hits to the head while playing football... That’s extremely concerning.
ReplyDeleteThe first question that came to mind was where do you see football headed in the future? It seems like this sport has gotten more and more extreme in recent years. And if Americans love football too much, what can be done to make it safer?
In all honesty, your post really made me doubt football, and I decided to agree with you about most things. It can be very harmful. Football can be a great sport and pastime, but I think with the tools we have today, a lot can be done to improve the safety of the sport, including age restrictions and the frequency in which it is played.
I've always been a fan of football. I played it a lot when I was younger and somewhat in high school. I didn't play on a team or anything just with my friends. From my experience you do get hit pretty hard in football and kids should have it easier. Grown men can really be affected by getting hits to the head, so I see how harmful it is to a kid.
ReplyDeleteThis post really makes me think about how parents or society would react if making kids football less physical. Limiting kids from tackle football would upset many parents and maybe even the kids because they have a passion for the sport. I think this change would make a lot of them stop playing the sport.
I agree in making tackle football more safe for kids but not completely removing it. Some kids enjoy the sport how it is and should not be limited. I would say making more protective equipment to prevent less injuries.