How do parents justify letting their kids play football?

[Anonymous]

I went to a private high school with lots of kids who were the sons of doctors (including me). We were not forbidden to play football. None of us got brain injuries. We all went on to prestigious universities. Just sayin'

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People with any sense have always known it was stupid to play football. My mom knew this back in the 70s.

This. I am a foreigner, so the first time I saw American football was when i moved to US. After watching the first game, I was shocked. I told my friend that it is not a sport. Sport suppose to make your body better. American football damages your body in so many ways. I would never ever let my child to participate in something like that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People with any sense have always known it was stupid to play football. My mom knew this back in the 70s.

This applies to a lot of things--smoking, for example, or not buckling up, or eating lots of meat. Yet there are still parents who argue that seat belts aren't necessary for short trips. There was a thread on this just a few months ago on DCUM where plenty of people who'd consider themselves "smart" and "successful" bragged about how they didn't always buckle their kids when driving around the neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

My oldest played football from kindergarten through his senior year in high school. I don't feel the need to "justify" it at all. In the many, many years he played, it literally never came up. He never had a serious injury. My youngest is a band kid. He was messing around with friends at band camp and broke his leg and tore his ACL. He is having his second surgery next week. His knee will likely never fully heal.

Life is dangerous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:More concussions in girls' soccer than football. It's like people don't even care.

Brandi Chastain cares.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My oldest played football from kindergarten through his senior year in high school. I don't feel the need to "justify" it at all. In the many, many years he played, it literally never came up. He never had a serious injury. My youngest is a band kid. He was messing around with friends at band camp and broke his leg and tore his ACL. He is having his second surgery next week. His knee will likely never fully heal.

Life is dangerous.

Moronic reasoning.

[Anonymous]

I don't know. How do parents justify letting kids under the age of 13 ride in the front seat?

(Cue idiotic justifications).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd say that I'm a Bama fan, and my kids can play flag football forever. No reason to risk brain injuries for a zero chance of any offsetting benefit to them (like a multi-million-dollar career).

That's about it. I grew up in the dirt poor rural South in a one high school town-- which a lot of people wished could still be segregated. Football was the only way a lot of kids in my high school class class-- especially, but not only, the AA ones were going to get out, get respect within the school and the community, get an education, and avoid working in a textile or furniture factory, like their father and grandfather and brothers-- and generally make something of themselves. Of course, "making it big" meant playing for UNC-- so there goes the education piece. But I do see why football is huge some parts of the country. It's a long shot. But when a long shot is all you've got, that's what you go for.

There are parts of Friday Night Lights that have always rung true for me.


Fast forward to NoVA and drive over to TJ some Friday night to watch a football game. (Using the word football game very loosely here). Crew had 110 members last year and had to cut some men. The band is 100 kids strong. The football team is so small their members all play offense, defense and special teams. Also,small in the sense that they weigh, on average, 40-50 lbs less per kid than their opponents.

Completely different worlds. But they have one thing in common-- people want a future for their kids. Some of us are lucky enough that college and a professional career aren't just possible-- they are highly probable. But that's not how a lot of America works. Y kids get tired of hearing me say it, but they are incredibly lucky. Not everyone is.

[Anonymous]

Who are they justifying it to, and why?

[Anonymous]

They are idiots basically.

[Anonymous]

Soccer headers arent good either...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to a private high school with lots of kids who were the sons of doctors (including me). We were not forbidden to play football. None of us got brain injuries. We all went on to prestigious universities. Just sayin'

Hopefully not math majors, though...since you don't seem to understand statistics.

[Anonymous]

My BIL is a huge football fan (like that's all they do on Sunday in the fall)...but he won't allow nephew to play football due to CTE. I'm glad for nephew's health, but I think it's kind of gross that people find it entertaining to watch other people do something that they would not allow their children to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People with any sense have always known it was stupid to play football. My mom knew this back in the 70s.

+100

My older brother was beyond pissed my parents wouldn't him play football in the early 80s.

Soccer was a sissy sport for boys he was told--but at 6'3 could kick most people's ass that said that. He ended up full-ride, all-American and a pro-career--ad a CTE-free brain.

Concussions are prevelant in soccer. Soccer is a great sport and a sissy sport.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:More concussions in girls' soccer than football. It's like people don't even care.

this is not true, but as more evidence comes to light about how dangerous heading in soccer is for girls, I wouldn't let mine do it either.