School board member wants to ban football

[NorCalMike]

School board member wants to ban football

I think that Adam Carolla is right. In Fifty Years We'll All Be Chicks.

There is one stat in the story that I find questionable. They say that there has been a 60% increase hospital visits due to sports related brain injuries in the last ten years. Although this is probably true it doesn't really give you the reason for the increase. Because of the increased information about traumatic brain injuries (TBI), more people seek medical treatment.

Also, there had been a change in the diagnostic criteria for concussions. Back in the 80's when I went to paramedic school, we learned that a the person had to suffer a loss of consciousness to have a concussion. Now we are told the there does not need to be a loss of consciousness. This change would definitely increase the number of persons diagnosed with TBI.

With all the research going on about TBI, things are definitely going to get better.

[Welpe]

Or they're going to get worse because fewer will want their sons playing.

[Roscoe]

My wife and I have already discussed this and if my son wants to play football, we will welcome it.

[James]

I've got girls.
I'd let them play (there are girls leagues here), or play rugby - anything but cheerleading.

[scl-man]

If cheerleading were recognized as a sport, then it would be the most dangerous scholastic sport.  My daughter has been cheering for about 10 years now, and although she has not been seriously injured, she sure has missed her chance on several occasions.  At least football players get protective equipment and don't have to play on an asphalt track!! 

[TampaSteve]

If cheerleading were recognized as a sport, then it would be the most dangerous scholastic sport.  My daughter has been cheering for about 10 years now, and although she has not been seriously injured, she sure has missed her chance on several occasions.  At least football players get protective equipment and don't have to play on an asphalt track!!

Round these parts, cheerleaders must be on a safety mat.  Has the squishy-ness of a wreastling mat, but thicker.
correct me if i'm wrong, but isnt cheerleading an NFHS sport, with a rulebook and all?

[kerryman71]

My son just started playing football this year (AYFL).  He's 7 years old.  Full contact.  The kids are taught about injuries and the proper way to tackle, not using the helmet for contact, etc.  I was excited that he wanted to play, but leery also.  What parent isn't?  After seeing how things have gone and the emphasis on player safety I'm not concerned at all.  The league just spent $20K dollars last year on new helmets (Riddell Speed) and pads.

Funny thing is, this past March he caught a line drive in baseball with his face, breaking his nose.  A month later he was going to cover first base and the kid at second threw the ball without checking to see if he was there yet.  My son turns around and the ball nails him in his eye.  I remember being in the ER with him.  He looks at me and says, with a big smile on his face, "At least when I play football I'll have a helmet on." 

John   

[Chester]

That's good stuff...

[bbchap]

this is my alma mater

couldn't believe it when I saw it

[Boodle]

My daughter cheered through college.  Injury wise, its pretty much like football.  Not a question of if you will get injured but, how bad will it be.  Even with mats when a person falls from more than 5 feet somethng is going to get hurt.

In high school, they started practice before the football team and were still going after the team returned.

Technically not a sport. But, they practice and cheer for 11 months out of the year.

[Curious]

Saw a news banner on ESPN the other day indicating someone in New Hampshire was proposing/suing for a ban on football...

[AFSST]

My daughter cheered through college.  Injury wise, its pretty much like football.  Not a question of if you will get injured but, how bad will it be.  Even with mats when a person falls from more than 5 feet somethng is going to get hurt.

In high school, they started practice before the football team and were still going after the team returned.

Technically not a sport. But, they practice and cheer for 11 months out of the year.

We got that spirit!  We got that spirit!  We got that whaat, whaat, whaat, whaat, what/what/what/what/what/what/what/what SPIRIT!

[yarnnelg]

Let's ban the Board Member

[FredFan7]

My son just started playing football this year (AYFL).  He's 7 years old.  Full contact.  The kids are taught about injuries and the proper way to tackle, not using the helmet for contact, etc.  I was excited that he wanted to play, but leery also.  What parent isn't?  After seeing how things have gone and the emphasis on player safety I'm not concerned at all.  The league just spent $20K dollars last year on new helmets (Riddell Speed) and pads.

Funny thing is, this past March he caught a line drive in baseball with his face, breaking his nose.  A month later he was going to cover first base and the kid at second threw the ball without checking to see if he was there yet.  My son turns around and the ball nails him in his eye.  I remember being in the ER with him.  He looks at me and says, with a big smile on his face, "At least when I play football I'll have a helmet on." 

John   

That youth football league is doing it the right way.