Would you allow your child to play football ?

[Anonymous]

I wasn't sure if I had to post this on the parenting forum or sports so I ended just going with the off topic forum .Would you let your child play football at any level, pee-wee, elementary, junior, high school , college and even pro ? I just finished a FRONTLINE documentary on PBS titled LEAGUE OF DENIAL . The documentary is about four years old so some of you might have seen it already
There's a risk in almost anything we do in life that is true . However watching that documentary I couldn't help but wonder if the NFL would have been what it is today ( $ 9B in revenues ) had parents who ultimately greenlight their kids athletic choices known what we know today . It was sad and tragic to see men who at one point in time were our society's equivalent of gladiators end up being vegetables unable to tie their shoe laces , fetching a bottle of water in the fridge in their 30s and 40s .

PS: it's quite the long documentary
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_OVWSAL0EAw

[Anonymous]

My oldest played football from age five through his senior year in high school. I worried, of course. His most serious injury was a broken hand. My youngest is not an athlete. He broke his leg in three places and tore his ACL - at band camp. Two surgeries and he still has problems with his knee. My daughter had a serious head injury as a rower. She was hospitalized. It was terrifying.

Football is a dangerous sport. My son just happened to love it from kindergarten flag all the way through the big high school games.

[Anonymous]

No.

[Anonymous]

No, no, and nope. Football is right up there with boxing as an activity I will never willingly let my child try. And frankly there are other semi-contact sports (like soccer) that are on the do-not-try list. It's just not worth it.

I'm from San Diego, and the suicide of Junior Seau - the Charger's great who was found after his death to have suffered from CTE, likely due to concussions from his football career - is enough of a reason to say no.

[Anonymous]

As a little kid, no. Once they got to high school, I'd be willing to discuss it.

[Anonymous]

Nooo way.

[Anonymous]

No.

[Anonymous]

Casually in the street with some friends? Sure. On a team? Absolutely not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My oldest played football from age five through his senior year in high school. I worried, of course. His most serious injury was a broken hand. My youngest is not an athlete. He broke his leg in three places and tore his ACL - at band camp. Two surgeries and he still has problems with his knee. My daughter had a serious head injury as a rower. She was hospitalized. It was terrifying.

Football is a dangerous sport. My son just happened to love it from kindergarten flag all the way through the big high school games.

I am so sorry about your daughter. But having rowed for over 25 years and coached the last 12 of those I have to say - a head injury in rowing is exceedingly rare. It's no comparison at all to football.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Casually in the street with some friends? Sure. On a team? Absolutely not.

I'm the pp whose son played all the way through high school. Those pick-up games in the yard are often more dangerous, unfortunately. Some of the worst injuries I've seen have been in touch football.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My oldest played football from age five through his senior year in high school. I worried, of course. His most serious injury was a broken hand. My youngest is not an athlete. He broke his leg in three places and tore his ACL - at band camp. Two surgeries and he still has problems with his knee. My daughter had a serious head injury as a rower. She was hospitalized. It was terrifying.

Football is a dangerous sport. My son just happened to love it from kindergarten flag all the way through the big high school games.

I am so sorry about your daughter. But having rowed for over 25 years and coached the last 12 of those I have to say - a head injury in rowing is exceedingly rare. It's no comparison at all to football.

It's rare, but it happens. She also had a bad shoulder injury from crew. We love the sport, don't get me wrong. I have two that rowed in middle and high school. Injuries are certainly less common in crew than in football.

[Anonymous]

No, we don't even let our kids watch football on TV. Too violent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, we don't even let our kids watch football on TV. Too violent.

I am eith you. We don't allow golf. Too rich.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My oldest played football from age five through his senior year in high school. I worried, of course. His most serious injury was a broken hand. My youngest is not an athlete. He broke his leg in three places and tore his ACL - at band camp. Two surgeries and he still has problems with his knee. My daughter had a serious head injury as a rower. She was hospitalized. It was terrifying.

Football is a dangerous sport. My son just happened to love it from kindergarten flag all the way through the big high school games.

Your football-playing son's brain injuries won't become apparent until later in life.

[Anonymous]

No. Plenty of former NFL players say the same thing.