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Started By
Message
What is ya'lls take on kids playing tackle football?
Posted on 10/23/17 at 11:34 am
Posted on 10/23/17 at 11:34 am
TLDR version: Neurologists told me evidence is strong that starting tackle football too young can have negative affects (effects?) when you are older
I played tackle football from 5th grade through senior year. A few years back started having chronic headaches, they would be non stop and started seeing the black spots stuff. Went to dr and MRI ordered. MRI found lesions on my brain and some kind of issue with white matter, can't remember what the issue was.
When sent to neurologist, I was wearing Saints shirt and he casually asked me if I played football. He told me of a study he looked at where they got a certain age group from like 26-35 y/o who played football, but highest level was high school. The % was like 80 something % that had lesions and some kind of white matter issue. The same # of people who never played football and had MRI was less than 5%.
A few months later a buddy of mine who played also, he is a CRNA, stated he had a conversation with a neurosurgeon and the surgeon told him kids with evidence now, shouldn't be playing until at least after 12 y/o. He basically said all a helmet does is keep your skull from cracking open, your brain is still taking the same trauma as it would if you were hitting it on a brick wall 20-30 times a day.
I have young boys and if they want to play I'll let them play as of now, I don't plan on forcing them to play. I'm kinda, in the back of my mind, thinking it would be best to wait till junior high before playing tackle football.
#snowflakeparents #pussificationofmerica
What do some of ya'll think of the situation?
ETA: And yes, my issue there is good odds it's from something else and not football. Also, yes I understand there are people in their 30s and 40s who played many years and may not have issues. According to neurologist, anxiety, depression, migraines, etc can be something that arises decades or so later from it.
I played tackle football from 5th grade through senior year. A few years back started having chronic headaches, they would be non stop and started seeing the black spots stuff. Went to dr and MRI ordered. MRI found lesions on my brain and some kind of issue with white matter, can't remember what the issue was.
When sent to neurologist, I was wearing Saints shirt and he casually asked me if I played football. He told me of a study he looked at where they got a certain age group from like 26-35 y/o who played football, but highest level was high school. The % was like 80 something % that had lesions and some kind of white matter issue. The same # of people who never played football and had MRI was less than 5%.
A few months later a buddy of mine who played also, he is a CRNA, stated he had a conversation with a neurosurgeon and the surgeon told him kids with evidence now, shouldn't be playing until at least after 12 y/o. He basically said all a helmet does is keep your skull from cracking open, your brain is still taking the same trauma as it would if you were hitting it on a brick wall 20-30 times a day.
I have young boys and if they want to play I'll let them play as of now, I don't plan on forcing them to play. I'm kinda, in the back of my mind, thinking it would be best to wait till junior high before playing tackle football.
#snowflakeparents #pussificationofmerica
What do some of ya'll think of the situation?
ETA: And yes, my issue there is good odds it's from something else and not football. Also, yes I understand there are people in their 30s and 40s who played many years and may not have issues. According to neurologist, anxiety, depression, migraines, etc can be something that arises decades or so later from it.
This post was edited on 10/23/17 at 11:38 am
22
Posted on 10/23/17 at 11:43 am to windshieldman
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Posted on 10/23/17 at 11:44 am to windshieldman
Do you have a link to that study your neurologist talked about?
My kids will probably start playing tackle in 6th grade.
My kids will probably start playing tackle in 6th grade.
Posted on 10/23/17 at 11:44 am to windshieldman
Personally, my kid is 7 and plays Soccer, Baseball, and Basketball.
He loves watching football with me but I'm not letting him play until he gets older. He has been to several camps however.
The way I look at it...it's not like he'll be behind the other kids. Anyone who's decently athletic can become an above average football player almost right away.
He loves watching football with me but I'm not letting him play until he gets older. He has been to several camps however.
The way I look at it...it's not like he'll be behind the other kids. Anyone who's decently athletic can become an above average football player almost right away.
Posted on 10/23/17 at 11:48 am to Midtiger farm
quote:
Do you have a link to that study your neurologist talked about
This was a few years ago, but back then I remember googling it and finding a link that matched it up somewhat, well really more about what that neurosurgeon said, something about major brain development between 10-12 and wait till at least 12. I did find something about mri study and high % of football players, but never saw the study on non football players that he mentioned
This post was edited on 10/23/17 at 11:49 am
Posted on 10/23/17 at 11:50 am to windshieldman
My boy is too young to even play organized sports right now but I will not let him play football until at least 7th grade. The wife is dead opposed to football period so it's more likely he will not be allowed to play at all.
Posted on 10/23/17 at 11:51 am to GeorgeTheGreek
GeorgeTheGreek
trust me, I feel that way. Never thought I’d consider holding them out till older, but now I’m having some second thoughts. At least during elementary years.
trust me, I feel that way. Never thought I’d consider holding them out till older, but now I’m having some second thoughts. At least during elementary years.
Posted on 10/23/17 at 11:53 am to windshieldman
My dad made me start playing football in the 2nd grade. I ended up getting totally burned out by the end of junior high basically, and began HATING all of the dedication and practice and shite that came with playing, so I eventually quit.
If I ever had a boy, I will let him play if he wants but I am not going to push him in either direction.
If I ever had a boy, I will let him play if he wants but I am not going to push him in either direction.
Posted on 10/23/17 at 11:56 am to windshieldman
Mines not big enough, but I would let him if he wanted to.
We live too much in fear of what could be for our kids. It's natural, even rational. But we have to let them live at some point before 18. Let them hurt. Let them fail. Let them learn their own life lessons instead of trusting in mine.
By allowing your kid to do X, you marginally increase their chance of Y by Z%.
This shite can apply to anything, and some people take it too far to heart in lieu of the kids life development.
We live too much in fear of what could be for our kids. It's natural, even rational. But we have to let them live at some point before 18. Let them hurt. Let them fail. Let them learn their own life lessons instead of trusting in mine.
By allowing your kid to do X, you marginally increase their chance of Y by Z%.
This shite can apply to anything, and some people take it too far to heart in lieu of the kids life development.
Posted on 10/23/17 at 12:03 pm to Breadstick Gun
quote:
The way I look at it...it's not like he'll be behind the other kids. Anyone who's decently athletic can become an above average football player almost right away.
I look at it more long term. Mine and my wife’s genetics. This boy will make a hell of a punter, but that’s it. He looks a lot like my brother in law in his childhood pics. So chances are he will be small. I on the other hand always had the body of a linebacker, but a tackles feet. And I was like an old Penn State LB or Ohio State too. Big shouldered and slow. Meant to eat up a guard.
All that taken into account, my son is gonna have to come to us wanting to play football. I played all through high school and if I could do t over again I’d have played golf. Lol.
My son is in soccer and baseball now.
Posted on 10/23/17 at 12:05 pm to MSMHater
quote:
Mines not big enough, but I would let him if he wanted to.
We live too much in fear of what could be for our kids. It's natural, even rational. But we have to let them live at some point before 18. Let them hurt. Let them fail. Let them learn their own life lessons instead of trusting in mine.
By allowing your kid to do X, you marginally increase their chance of Y by Z%.
This shite can apply to anything, and some people take it too far to heart in lieu of the kids life development.
Kinda replying to you and Funky Tide, yea my dad never made me play, I just always really wanted to. He was probably bigger on me playing baseball than football.
As far as your point, that's my holdup. I had alot of good memories playing, although mostly from jr high and high school. I'm kinda of in the if they really want to play it would be hard to hold them out, but at the same time I don't mind at all telling them no. I'm definitely at the stage of not trying to get them to play though.
This thread makes me sound like one for sure, but overall, I'm far from a helicopter parent, we hunt, fish, play football (not knocking heads over and over) and baseball in the backyard. I'm just kind of on the is my kid's head being hit over and over and over in practice and ballgames at 8 y/o really a good thing? I stand by on the ambulance even at elementary football games and you can teach them proper technique all day long, but during the game they are definitely banging heads out there.
It's weird, most of the people I played football with don't seem that gun-ho about their kids playing either, compared to the dads who didn't play much, with their kids. But I definitely don't wanna hold them back if they are rrreeeeeaaaaalllllllyyyyy wanting to play. Just up in the air about it.
This post was edited on 10/23/17 at 12:07 pm
Posted on 10/23/17 at 12:06 pm to windshieldman
There have been too many former and current NFL players that have said they wouldn't let their child play until they are in their teens if ever. I trust their judgement and would do the same.
Posted on 10/23/17 at 12:10 pm to windshieldman
Kids that are small don’t hit hard enough to do substantial damage IMO. Not only that, they don’t get injured as much.
Posted on 10/23/17 at 12:11 pm to LSU alum wannabe
quote:
I look at it more long term. Mine and my wife’s genetics. This boy will make a hell of a punter, but that’s it. He looks a lot like my brother in law in his childhood pics. So chances are he will be small. I on the other hand always had the body of a linebacker, but a tackles feet. And I was like an old Penn State LB or Ohio State too. Big shouldered and slow. Meant to eat up a guard.
I was a fullback, this was back in the 90s. I still somewhat remember (a little pun there) a play where we were running out the clock before halftime and I lead block and hit a LB head on. I remember him telling me good hit, can't remember anything about halftime and was fuzzy the rest of the game. That kind of stuff would happen on occasion in practice also. I'm talking high school of course with that, I understand there aren't the bone jarring hits, overall, in elementary school. Just it's starting to seem a little too young to be constantly banging your heads over and over at some of these ages I see, 6-10 years old.
Posted on 10/23/17 at 12:13 pm to Darth Wade
quote:
Kids that are small don’t hit hard enough to do substantial damage IMO. Not only that, they don’t get injured as much
You'd be surprised, but it's the repetition of hits to the head people are discussing now, I'm strictly speaking of elementary kids. They aren't bone jarring, but just hitting heads however many times in practice, and however many times in a game over a period of several years, only to lead up to high school where they are really banging heads. Seems that has to take it's toll.
Posted on 10/23/17 at 12:13 pm to windshieldman
quote:You started tackle football too young
starting tackle football too young can have negative affects (effects?) when you are older
Posted on 10/23/17 at 12:17 pm to windshieldman
quote:
He basically said all a helmet does is keep your skull from cracking open, your brain is still taking the same trauma as it would if you were hitting it on a brick wall 20-30 times a day.
quote:
ETA: And yes, my issue there is good odds it's from something else and not football.
Honest question, are there good odds that it's from something else? I mean, what else have you done in your life repetitively that much that would would be comparable to hitting your head on a brick 20-30 times?
Posted on 10/23/17 at 12:20 pm to MSMHater
quote:
We live too much in fear of what could be for our kids. It's natural, even rational. But we have to let them live at some point before 18. Let them hurt. Let them fail. Let them learn their own life lessons instead of trusting in mine.
in general I wholeheartedly agree with this statement. HOWEVER, allowing your child to participate in activities that are harmful to them in the long run is a whole different story. you could just teach him how to smoke cigarettes.
Posted on 10/23/17 at 12:23 pm to shel311
quote:
Honest question, are there good odds that it's from something else? I mean, what else have you done in your life repetitively that much that would would be comparable to hitting your head on a brick 20-30 times?
Well football would be it, unless there is some of kind of underlying issue that causes lesions
I was worried about tumors for awhile but the dr, radiologist, and neurologist weren't concerned about it. The CRNA buddy of mine who played had same results as me, he got checked out a few months later. Never went to a neurologist and his conversation was just casual with neurosurgeon, I guess break room type talk. This post was edited on 10/23/17 at 12:25 pm
Posted on 10/23/17 at 12:33 pm to windshieldman
If you were concerned, I would think that playing them at a younger age is safer and then taking them out of football. Have you ever watched second, third, and fourth graders play football? They're barely out there playing patty cake.
Also, its FOOTBALL so, yeah, there's tackling involved. Is there a non-tackle football other than flag?
Played from 3rd grade through high school and the worst injury I ever sustained was playing flag football and required surgery. If you're going to do something physical, then injuries are a consequence. Hell, kids get gamekeeper's thumb from playing too many damn video games.
Also, its FOOTBALL so, yeah, there's tackling involved. Is there a non-tackle football other than flag?
Played from 3rd grade through high school and the worst injury I ever sustained was playing flag football and required surgery. If you're going to do something physical, then injuries are a consequence. Hell, kids get gamekeeper's thumb from playing too many damn video games.
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