Why isn’t youth football a big sport around here?

[Anonymous]

Flag football is gaining momentum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because we are an incredibly educated community and we know that CTE is real and want our kids to have a future.

This. I cringe when my nephews mention playing football in their rust belt town.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People are educated here.

CTE. Nobody wants their kids to play anything but flag football if they are going to play football.

This plus it's never been part of the culture so it wasn't a big deal to pivot away from it when CTE risks became known. I grew up in a college town where the local football team dominated life and culture. You cheered your local high school team on Friday nights and Saturdays were all about college football.

Some of the high schools are still like this but there are fewer kids playing. It doesn't show up as a community activity till high school and then it shares the stage with the band and the cheerleaders and dance teams.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People are educated here.

CTE. Nobody wants their kids to play anything but flag football if they are going to play football.

This plus it's never been part of the culture so it wasn't a big deal to pivot away from it when CTE risks became known. I grew up in a college town where the local football team dominated life and culture. You cheered your local high school team on Friday nights and Saturdays were all about college football.

Some of the high schools are still like this but there are fewer kids playing. It doesn't show up as a community activity till high school and then it shares the stage with the band and the cheerleaders and dance teams.

Our FCPS school is enormous and football is now no cut. They have a lot of trouble fielding freshman teams and very few kids with any experience playing.

[Anonymous]

Our kids prefer other sports.

Soccer, lacrosse, rugby…

[Anonymous]

People around here think football is for poor people. They cite CTE and concussions while driving their kids to equally dangerous sports.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People around here think football is for poor people. They cite CTE and concussions while driving their kids to equally dangerous sports.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People around here think football is for poor people. They cite CTE and concussions while driving their kids to equally dangerous sports.

like what?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People around here think football is for poor people. They cite CTE and concussions while driving their kids to equally dangerous sports.

From a long-term brain health and CTE perspective, football is unique and has no team sport equal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where I am from, kids start playing in the neighborhood leagues by 1st grade.

You do not need to play football at that age. There is no skill development needed to play football. You can just show up in 9th grade and play. Plus the concussion risk is a lot higher for the little kids. Their muscle(specially around neck and abs) are not developed enough to control their head in a collision.

I won't argue the risks of football, but the bolded is one of the stupidest things I've ever read on DCUM.

If you're in a community where they start playing tackle in ES, you can't simply show up in 9th grade and expect to get playing time. Hell, it takes 1-2 seasons to actually trust the pads.

Maybe around the close-in DMV, this might be the case, because the youth programs are so weak. But just about anywhere else, the kids that put the pads on for the time in HS would be lucky get to get on the special teams unit

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Flag football is gaining momentum.

It's so dorky though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where I am from, kids start playing in the neighborhood leagues by 1st grade.

You do not need to play football at that age. There is no skill development needed to play football. You can just show up in 9th grade and play. Plus the concussion risk is a lot higher for the little kids. Their muscle(specially around neck and abs) are not developed enough to control their head in a collision.

I won't argue the risks of football, but the bolded is one of the stupidest things I've ever read on DCUM.

If you're in a community where they start playing tackle in ES, you can't simply show up in 9th grade and expect to get playing time. Hell, it takes 1-2 seasons to actually trust the pads.

Maybe around the close-in DMV, this might be the case, because the youth programs are so weak. But just about anywhere else, the kids that put the pads on for the time in HS would be lucky get to get on the special teams unit

Youth football is becoming a regional sport. Outside of those regions, you can show up and play on a freshman team if your big or athletic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because we are an incredibly educated community and we know that CTE is real and want our kids to have a future.

This, of course.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where I am from, kids start playing in the neighborhood leagues by 1st grade.

You do not need to play football at that age. There is no skill development needed to play football. You can just show up in 9th grade and play. Plus the concussion risk is a lot higher for the little kids. Their muscle(specially around neck and abs) are not developed enough to control their head in a collision.

I won't argue the risks of football, but the bolded is one of the stupidest things I've ever read on DCUM.

If you're in a community where they start playing tackle in ES, you can't simply show up in 9th grade and expect to get playing time. Hell, it takes 1-2 seasons to actually trust the pads.

Maybe around the close-in DMV, this might be the case, because the youth programs are so weak. But just about anywhere else, the kids that put the pads on for the time in HS would be lucky get to get on the special teams unit

This. At my kid’s HS they had a tiny freshman playing because he was the ONLY kid on the JV team that could snap the ball.

[Anonymous]

Dain Bramage