Kids Should Be Allowed To Play Tackle Football
Football is a very popular sport in America today to play and watch. Parents are faced with the tough choice of whether to allow their children to play football or not. The number of kids playing football is steadily declining. There are many risks involved when children play football that can lead to injury, concussions, and brain damage. However, there are also benefits for children playing football including being active, developing their morals and virtues, and getting scholarships for college. New rules and procedures are constantly changing to make the football game as safe as possible. Parents are faced with the decision on whether the risks of football are outweighed by the benefits of playing football. Children should have the opportunity to play football if that is their desire.
The main reason parents do not allow their kids to play football is due to the risk of concussions and brain damage that can occur. When suffering from concussions, children may experience struggles in their basic daily living as well as their academic achievement (Sanders 1). Children can have a difficult time learning in school and completing their daily tasks. Concussions can lead to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (C.T.E.) which is a degenerative brain disease (Nocera). Another condition caused by concussions is the pseudobulbar affect (PBA). PBA leads to “uncontrollable, sudden outbursts of crying and/or laughing” (Sanders 2). Parents are responsible for making decisions to keep their children safe. They want to prevent their kids from developing C.T.E. or PBA. Parents are often concerned that allowing their children to play football will result in permanent brain damage after their child suffers from multiple concussions (Shotz 3). Sholz suggests that “athletes can be left with lifelong pain, memory lapses, aggression, depression, personality changes, and many other issues” (3). Parents are scared that this will happen to their kids. With all of these medical concerns’ parents often refuse to allow their children to play football, but there are many benefits for allowing kids to play tackle football.
There are many reasons as to why children should be allowed to play. While football is a contact sport and an athlete may experience a concussion, there are new rules and policies being put into place to help minimize the amount of time athletes can spend tackling each other. Also there are certain procedures for when an athlete has a concussion. If an athlete gets a concussion and it is treated properly, there is minimal chance that the athlete will have any long-term effects (Shotz 10). It is important for the athlete to let someone know that they may be experiencing a concussion. Pop Warner has instituted rules to reduce the number of practices where the athletes can tackle each other (Shotz 11). USA football has the Heads Up Football program that teaches safety awareness requirements for hitting at practice (Youth Football Online). The NFL has changed rules to the kickoff to make it less dangerous for the athletes (Nocera). Findler reminds us that “Helmet-to-helmet hits have been banned” (7). These limitations will help reduce the number of concussions being experienced by the athletes. There is also an increase in the training for coaches, parents, and athletes to identify and treat concussions. Before an athlete can return to back to the field, a medical professional has to sign a release indicating that the athlete has recovered from the concussion (Shotz 11). According to NFL’s Health and Safety report from 2015 (as cited in Sanders), there has been a “35% reduction in concussions since 2012” (11). Helmet manufacturers are improving in the technology used to make the football helmet safer (Youth Football Online). These new policies and rules will increase safety for children while playing football and allow athletes to play the sport they love.
Children who are allowed to play football develop their moral and virtues while playing the sport and are participating in physical fitness. Athletes who start playing football at an early age learn discipline, focus, teamwork, and develop lifelong friendships (Shotz 11). Early fundamental learning is essential in football for the athlete to develop the skills needed to play football correctly and safely (Youth Football Online). Children learn “cooperation, respect, fairness, and sportpersonship” while playing the game (Findler 443). Football builds a bond between players to protect each other and do well for reach other. These virtues that children learn help develop their character as adults. Children who play football also develop their self-affirmation. Russell (as cited in Findler) reminds us that “extreme sports like [football], boxing, aerial trapeze walking and mountain climbing have special value because they challenge us to push the boundaries of who we are by extending in certain ways the physical, emotional, and intellectual limit of our finite, embodied selves” (455). In football, children learn a complex series of movements using their hands, feet, and mind while developing their motor skills. (Youth Football Online). Football players also develop their toughness and aggressiveness (Youth Football Online). By participating in football children are realizing their limits and pushing themselves to be better due to the risks. Children have to overcome the dangerous part of football while persevering. They learn to get back up when they are knocked down. This perseverance will last with the children into adulthood.
Children who play football have improved physical fitness in childhood and better health status into adulthood (Findler 457). The health benefits of playing football keeps children active and helps reduce obesity. Children also have better developed perceptual-motor skills from playing football (Findler 457). When children learn to play football at a young age, they are learning the proper techniques to protect their head and the correct form to use when blocking and tackling (Nocera). By learning the correct procedures when first learning football, children will be safer and minimize their injuries. According to Findler, children have a better opportunity to develop their athletic skills such as speed, strength and agility than waiting until they are older as an adolescent or adult (458). This supports the opportunity for children to play football. Strength, speed, hand placement, and techniques are developed while kids participate in a variety of football drills (Youth Football Online). These skills will not develop if kids don’t start playing football at a young age. If parent wait until high school to allow their kids to play football, the child could suffer more injuries since he would be inexperienced and may be afraid of the tackles.
The video below by Dr. Chris Carr and Hardy Nickerson explain the benefits kids receive when playing football. Dr. Carr states that coaches need to understand that there are four reasons that kids play football. They play for competence to learn the skills of the game, for the affiliation of the sport with their friends, for fitness and physical heath, and for fun (0:10–0:29). It is important for coaches to remember these reasons, so they set up their practices and drills for children to focus on the reasons why they play football. Hardy Nickerson states that kids learn perseverance, teamwork, accountability, toughness, and that maximum effort will result in a positive outcome (0:54–1:23). Football teaches kids to work together, to keep pushing through tough times, and to never give up. Coaches and parents will see the benefits of playing football on kids.
Another benefit for children to play football is the scholarships they can earn. Student athletes can earn athletic scholarships to go to college to play football (Shotz 12). This may be the only way that some children get to go to college is by having the scholarship to help pay for it. Some parents do not have the money to put their children through college. If the athlete plays football and gets a scholarship more opportunities are available for that child. The child will also have the opportunity to earn a degree and career when no longer playing football. This promotes for parents to allow their child to play football.
The following video by Donnie Gasser shows how participation has declined due to football injuries but parents should still see the benefits that occur in kids who play football. Participants in tackle football has declined over the years in the NFL, high school, and youth sports due to the concern parents and athletes have on injuries that occur (Gasser 0:10–0:34). Gasser shows articles stating that President Obama would not allow his son (if he had one) to play football. Lebron James, famous basketball player, has not allowed his sons to play football. Mike Ditka, NFL hall of famer, would not allow his son to play football either (Gasser 0:35–0:45). When parents see these famous individuals not allowing their kids to play football, they also cast doubt on allowing their kids to play football as well. Parents are easily influenced by what they see other parents do. Donnie Gasser points out that despite the risks, parents need to remember that kids play football because they love the game (1:16). Life values are taught including “brotherhood, discipline, leadership, and perseverance (Gasser 1:17–1:34). Allowing kids to play football brings tradition and communities together (Gasser 1:51–2:06). Gasser also shows that there are no safe sports as injuries occur in all sports including lacrosse, hockey, baseball, soccer, volleyball and basketball (Gasser 2:48–3:03). Are parents not going to allow their children to play any of these sports? All sports come with risks, but the skills learned outweigh the risks.
As football continues to grow and flourish, parents will continue to be faced with the tough question of whether to allow their child to play football. There are some risks associated with playing football, especially in regard to concussions. More rules, laws, and trainings are being put in place to increase the safety for football players. There have been advancement in football equipment to help protect the child’s body when playing. This will ensure that the safety of athletes is continuing to be a focus on the sport. There are many benefits for children when playing football. They are not allowed to play if they have any sign of a concussion until it is safe to do so. Football players are developing their athletic skills and maintaining an active lifestyle. Perceptual- motor skills are more advanced in children who play football. Children develop friendships, teamwork, respect, and discipline while playing football. A bond is formed between players where they will protect, stand up for, and support each other on and off the field. Football athletes are also able to receive scholarships to allow them to play in college and pursue a degree. These college degrees allow the children to have future careers once they have finished with playing football. Despite the risks associated with playing football, the benefits of playing are worth if for those children who want to play football.
Works Cited
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