re: High school football participation drops to lowest point since 1999

You know what’s funny. My son is playing football for the first time this year as a 9 year old. I don’t know if it’s just his team and the teams he plays but NO ONE is getting hurt as soft as these kids are! I would say with confidence that soccer is more dangerous at this age then football.

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I would say with confidence that soccer is more dangerous at this age then football.

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I have an acquaintance who has 4 boys. Mom was adamant in not allowing them to play football because of the risk of injury. So they played soccer. And at least two have ended up suffering concussions as a result of playing that sport. I think one collided with another player while both were trying to head a ball. The other got kicked in the head.

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I think football will see the elimination of special teams (outside of field goals) and 3/4 point stances before it gets too drastic. Maybe also require tackles for a player to be down to reduce people flinging themselves. It's all about eliminating that stigma of injury and brain trauma.

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Eliminating full contact practices seems like the most relevant change that needs to be made.

Football is definitely dangerous, but soccer can be as much or more.

I almost killed a girl in 2001 playing soccer by accident and was never allowed back on Ouachitas soccer field.

They allowed co-ed for some damn reason and I played there two years before--i was 19 at this time; graduated at 17. Well, I was put at goalie and a friend of mine was on the opposite team and cleared a ball to a girl who was playing forward and my team sucked arse. I either was going to clear it down field or scoop or up. Well, I would have to risk getting kicked in the teeth to pick up so I yelled to her to move. She wouldn't. She wished I kicked it sideways so they can have a throw in. I told her nope. She tried to beat me to the ball and I cleared straight into her head.

She was unconscious lying on the ground for a minute or so. I thought she was dead and began being accosted by everyone mad I didn't clear it out of bounds. She came to and began crying as she was bleeding from mouth and nose.

They rushed her to hospital with a grade 2 concussion and had to have surgery for her nose and mouth or something like that.

Also saw a guy crack his spine getting kicked pin the back. Saw a kid break his tailbone trying to clear a ball playing fullback but missed and fell on the ground.

Don't play sports if you don't wish to get hurt.

I broke my right arm playing basketball once also on high school. shite happens.

I’ve spent some time out on the island yes

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By mid-century football will be an afterthought. A game played by knuckle dragging cretins in the days of yesteryear

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I’m sure you know this, but your trolls are way too obvious and not funny.

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The United States population was 279.3 million in 1999; it stands at an estimated 327.2 million today

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Goddamn. We’re getting too crowded up in here.

Mexicans have relatively little interest in American football.

I remember back in 1993 or so a player at Ouachita in a freshman game named Daniel Cummings broke his spine. Kid was paralyzed on the field. The news spread like wildfire all through Monroe. Seemed everyone knew about it regardless of affiliation with the school or sport. Really freaked with the psyche of the youth for awhile. But, the sport made it. Why? Because it is fun and guys can be guys. Proper technique is being implemented throughout youth leagues (not Fournettes kids youth league ) for the most part. New generations will grow up not having to unlearn old habits and form new ones.

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3/4 point stances

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This is idiotic. Three and four point stances reduce injury. The injuries that all are concerned with are from flying to the ball with a 10lb battering ram on each player’s head.
Want to quit leading with the head? Bring back no facemasks or helmets not equipped to be used as a weapon.