Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is he desperate to play? Is there a specific reason he wants to do football over other spofts? I would ask him a lot of questions and have him do a lot of research on long term risk of concussion before you say yes or no.

Friends doing it. Perceived coolness. He plays flag football and he is really good.

Being good at flag doesn't at all mean he'll be good at tackle. It's going to be quite the wake up call when he takes his first hit, especially when playing with boys who've been playing tackle football for years.

For real. And all those parents saying it's just like hockey or soccer - no it is not. Getting crushed open field by a 200 lb linebacker moving at speed is nothing like a hockey check. I've played both. I don't know what the soccer people are talking about. That's like comparing ballet to war. Football hits are something else, even for hockey players.

I think football is a great game and, depending on the school and the coach, it can be a good culture. Back in my day, every practice was full contact and that is rough for every player. But that's lightened up and practices are fine. But game day, it's still very real. We live in a W district, and those schools are struggling to put together teams. A lot of "small" kids, meaning totally normal boys who probably shouldn't be playing football. So a bunch of boys who are maybe 160 to 180. I think it was Damascus that had this defensive tackle who must have been 6'6 and 280 lbs who ultimately went on to play for Georgia. He was crushing these 180 lb senior boys like they were toys - but he was very nice about it. Just playing the position. But it was mayhem.

In high school football in the DMV, you are going to get these guys. Future D1 players who are so much bigger, stronger, and faster than your kid. And football is a zero sum game. It's not a nice sport. It's about physical dominance. That's the appeal for boys. It is the most mano a mano sport there is - at every position except for kicker. The problem these days is that there is such variation in size and strength. And if you don't have a big boy, varsity high school tackle football is going to smash them hard.

My boys are 6'1 and 6'2 and strong and I still discouraged them from playing football. There are better sports where you don't have to deal with the invariable injuries. But it's the head contact that is the most concerning. CTE is very real. And in the end, football doesn't seem worth it - given the long term risks - from brains to knees. If there was a better system out there to keep boys in certain weight classes, I''d be ok with it. But it's not like that out there in varsity high school football. You will be be playing against 200 pound very fast linebackers and 280 pound defensive tackles. The glory isn't worth the cost.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is he desperate to play? Is there a specific reason he wants to do football over other spofts? I would ask him a lot of questions and have him do a lot of research on long term risk of concussion before you say yes or no.

Friends doing it. Perceived coolness. He plays flag football and he is really good.

Being good at flag doesn't at all mean he'll be good at tackle. It's going to be quite the wake up call when he takes his first hit, especially when playing with boys who've been playing tackle football for years.

+1. They are completely different sports. Which high school will he attend? We can give you better advice on if he will even play.

My son played youth tackle. I was hesitant but it was one of the best decisions I ever made. It was safe and really good for him. It taught him lessons school did not on teamwork, self confidence and he made so many friends he never would have otherwise.

BUT youth is by weight and age. HS is not. My son, with years of tackle experience, never played in any games during his freshman year. He went to a school where it was very popular and there were many on the team. He stopped after 10th grade.

If your son is attending a school like this, you have little to worry about. He ain’t play in any games. If he’s at a school where it is less popular then you should be worried because inexperienced kids tackling at different weights is when injuries happen.

I’m a former player, former coach and current father of a high school football player. In my opinion football is the very best highschool experience that any student can have. This is for the simple reason that no other activity is so central to the life of the school community.

Friday nights football games are packed - with over 50% of the students attending. There is no other event like that - even graduation will only have a quarter of the student population.

No sport will have a student participation level as high as football. With 22 starting positions back ups and scout teams - the football program (freshman, JV and varsity) has well over 100 players. In my son’s school the program has 165 players and 15 student managers. In a school of 2400, over 10% of the male population is a football player.

Finally, no sport or activity will have the community cachet of football- people wanna know about football people wanna talk about football.

Let your son play - good luck.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a problem of your making, OP. You should never have let him pursue this sport when he was younger. If he's such a good athlete, you could have oriented him into another, safer, but equally fun sport.

Sorry, but this needs to be said. Now you actually DO have to educate him on the risks of cumulative concussions. If he's disappointed, too bad for both of you. Fun today should not be prioritized over early-onset dementia.

He's been playing flag for four months to try to scratch the football itch. But your other points are valid, thanks.

In reading a lot of posts about sports most of you must think your kids are real athletes. Professional football, basketball, hockey players are not coming from your suburbs. Recreational players like the kids in the suburbs don’t have the same risks.

The players with cumulative concussions causing CTE have typically played greater than 15 years professionally. They have players that weigh more than 300 lbs tackling. High school is full of skinny bodies that haven’t developed into men yet. Professional teams have the best players in the country. High schools might have one or two talented players and the rest just good players.

The OPs son is just starting playing in high school so the odds of him getting a concussion are no different than soccer in high school only. Very, very low to virtually non existent.

I wish this were true because I'm a reluctant football mom, but sometimes our kids line up against big, urban high schools where most of their players are well over 200 lbs, and I'm so nervous I can't watch. One team in particular appears to have several large Samoans who look like they are closer to 300 lbs.

Op. My son is one of those huge kids. What made you decide to let your son play?

I recall watching a documentary on cheer and common injuries like concussions. Many high school sports have risks, but interestingly football is a growing sport once again in the DC region. A decade ago it appeared as if some school districts were on the verge of eliminating the sport.

Youth flag football has really stimulated high school football’s revival.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a problem of your making, OP. You should never have let him pursue this sport when he was younger. If he's such a good athlete, you could have oriented him into another, safer, but equally fun sport.

Sorry, but this needs to be said. Now you actually DO have to educate him on the risks of cumulative concussions. If he's disappointed, too bad for both of you. Fun today should not be prioritized over early-onset dementia.

He's been playing flag for four months to try to scratch the football itch. But your other points are valid, thanks.

In reading a lot of posts about sports most of you must think your kids are real athletes. Professional football, basketball, hockey players are not coming from your suburbs. Recreational players like the kids in the suburbs don’t have the same risks.

The players with cumulative concussions causing CTE have typically played greater than 15 years professionally. They have players that weigh more than 300 lbs tackling. High school is full of skinny bodies that haven’t developed into men yet. Professional teams have the best players in the country. High schools might have one or two talented players and the rest just good players.

The OPs son is just starting playing in high school so the odds of him getting a concussion are no different than soccer in high school only. Very, very low to virtually non existent.

I wish this were true because I'm a reluctant football mom, but sometimes our kids line up against big, urban high schools where most of their players are well over 200 lbs, and I'm so nervous I can't watch. One team in particular appears to have several large Samoans who look like they are closer to 300 lbs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a problem of your making, OP. You should never have let him pursue this sport when he was younger. If he's such a good athlete, you could have oriented him into another, safer, but equally fun sport.

Sorry, but this needs to be said. Now you actually DO have to educate him on the risks of cumulative concussions. If he's disappointed, too bad for both of you. Fun today should not be prioritized over early-onset dementia.

He's been playing flag for four months to try to scratch the football itch. But your other points are valid, thanks.

In reading a lot of posts about sports most of you must think your kids are real athletes. Professional football, basketball, hockey players are not coming from your suburbs. Recreational players like the kids in the suburbs don’t have the same risks.

The players with cumulative concussions causing CTE have typically played greater than 15 years professionally. They have players that weigh more than 300 lbs tackling. High school is full of skinny bodies that haven’t developed into men yet. Professional teams have the best players in the country. High schools might have one or two talented players and the rest just good players.

The OPs son is just starting playing in high school so the odds of him getting a concussion are no different than soccer in high school only. Very, very low to virtually non existent.

OP. Not sure what makes you say that: https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/chronic-traumatic-encephalopathy-young-athletes

Most of the donors played sports only at the amateur level, including more than 70% of those with CTE. Three-quarters of those with CTE played American football. The rest participated in ice hockey, soccer, wrestling, or rugby. The football players with CTE tended to have had longer playing careers than those without the disease.

Also, my kid is a competitive athlete. I wish he weren't, but he is.

The research that said the players most at risk played at least 15 years. And changes in rules and headgear have made it safer. They have helmets that record each hit during a game, and are designed to protect the head. It’s not the 1970s anymore.

AI explanation - Several football helmets are equipped with technology to record and analyze head impacts, primarily using sensors that measure G-force, location, and severity of hits. These helmets are often paired with data analysis software to provide insights into player head impact exposure.

As for your kid, I’m sure they are an excellent athlete but when did this term “competitive athlete” become a thing? Does that mean he competes on a team? Do the best teen athletes have to pay the most to travel and play other teams?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Never should’ve agreed to flag football. It’s a gateway to tackle which is why the nfl is promoting it.

😭. You are right. I told him I would let him play as a compromise to not playing tackle. It's a recent thing. Any advice for me moving forward?

Yes, let him play. Kids get hurt in every sport. You can't keep them in a bubble.

Anonymous wrote:If your son never played tackle before then I wouldn't worry about injury. There's a big chance he'll be a bench warmer and mostly doing scout team reps.

Let him play.

Depends on the high school. Our high school team is so bad and desperate for players that each year about 1/3 of the starters never played tackle or any kind of football previously.

Our starting QB played maybe some recreational touch football, but the coach did everything they could to convince a 6’5” 210 pound kid to play (and is the ace pitcher for baseball).

We actually had two kids get recruited to Columbia and Cornell who had never played organized football before 10th grade…but they are both huge.

If your son never played tackle before then I wouldn't worry about injury. There's a big chance he'll be a bench warmer and mostly doing scout team reps.

Let him play.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a problem of your making, OP. You should never have let him pursue this sport when he was younger. If he's such a good athlete, you could have oriented him into another, safer, but equally fun sport.

Sorry, but this needs to be said. Now you actually DO have to educate him on the risks of cumulative concussions. If he's disappointed, too bad for both of you. Fun today should not be prioritized over early-onset dementia.

He's been playing flag for four months to try to scratch the football itch. But your other points are valid, thanks.

In reading a lot of posts about sports most of you must think your kids are real athletes. Professional football, basketball, hockey players are not coming from your suburbs. Recreational players like the kids in the suburbs don’t have the same risks.

The players with cumulative concussions causing CTE have typically played greater than 15 years professionally. They have players that weigh more than 300 lbs tackling. High school is full of skinny bodies that haven’t developed into men yet. Professional teams have the best players in the country. High schools might have one or two talented players and the rest just good players.

The OPs son is just starting playing in high school so the odds of him getting a concussion are no different than soccer in high school only. Very, very low to virtually non existent.

OP. Not sure what makes you say that: https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/chronic-traumatic-encephalopathy-young-athletes

Most of the donors played sports only at the amateur level, including more than 70% of those with CTE. Three-quarters of those with CTE played American football. The rest participated in ice hockey, soccer, wrestling, or rugby. The football players with CTE tended to have had longer playing careers than those without the disease.

Also, my kid is a competitive athlete. I wish he weren't, but he is.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a problem of your making, OP. You should never have let him pursue this sport when he was younger. If he's such a good athlete, you could have oriented him into another, safer, but equally fun sport.

Sorry, but this needs to be said. Now you actually DO have to educate him on the risks of cumulative concussions. If he's disappointed, too bad for both of you. Fun today should not be prioritized over early-onset dementia.

He's been playing flag for four months to try to scratch the football itch. But your other points are valid, thanks.

In reading a lot of posts about sports most of you must think your kids are real athletes. Professional football, basketball, hockey players are not coming from your suburbs. Recreational players like the kids in the suburbs don’t have the same risks.

The players with cumulative concussions causing CTE have typically played greater than 15 years professionally. They have players that weigh more than 300 lbs tackling. High school is full of skinny bodies that haven’t developed into men yet. Professional teams have the best players in the country. High schools might have one or two talented players and the rest just good players.

The OPs son is just starting playing in high school so the odds of him getting a concussion are no different than soccer in high school only. Very, very low to virtually non existent.

Anonymous wrote:Watch the Aaron Hernandez doc w him.

Oh please. He’s more likely watching Aaron’s friend Tom Brady. And her son will never be at the level Hernandez was.

High school football is no more dangerous than high school hockey or soccer. There is potential for spinal cord injuries from diving, skiing, cheerleading, and the worst is horseback riding. Kids still play. I would let him play. The rules are stronger now to protect the players. And especially high school, it’s not like the pros.

Anonymous wrote:OP. He plays another sport competitively year round. I feel confident that him not playing is the right decision and I want him to be okay with that and not hate me forever. He and his dad thinks the benefits outweigh the risks. I do not.

Everything has a price. You'll just have to deal with him hating you forever.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is he desperate to play? Is there a specific reason he wants to do football over other spofts? I would ask him a lot of questions and have him do a lot of research on long term risk of concussion before you say yes or no.

Friends doing it. Perceived coolness. He plays flag football and he is really good.

Being good at flag doesn't at all mean he'll be good at tackle. It's going to be quite the wake up call when he takes his first hit, especially when playing with boys who've been playing tackle football for years.

Yup.

Lots of kids outside of the UMC/DCUM bubble have been playing since they were in elementary school. Flag is nothing like tackle. The desire to run a crossing route goes way down when you have a 6'2 OLB who's been playing since he was 10 waiting to level you.