From the left coast: CA legislature considers banning tackle/contact football for age 12 and under

[CAMoleskinner]

They say it's just too dangerous with claims that up to 30% of boys who played midget and weight-football have suffered concussions.

When I started playing tackle ball for Queen of The Universe (in third grade in 1962 or something) and then with the Penndel Wildcats (before Carl Sandburg junior high and then Neshaminy) so did all or most of my friends.

I am unaware that any of them have suffered from concussions or dementia or whatever - at last so far (with the average age of my friends around 70). People have had other health issues but not those as have come to be associated with repeated head trauma.

I guess it will be intramural flag football through high school soon enough and somehow the girls will dominate (owing to societal views/laws/whatever) and so it won't be long before we'll be watching an all female college landscape and NFL (if we're watching -- maybe just female soccer at the pro level which I find hilariously uninteresting as a solid boys high school squad can run them into the ground).

Way to go, California!

 

[BradlyPitt]

they want to turn all those boys into girls

 

[Fletchster1]

As everyone knows, California has its own set of problems beyond the tackle football lunacy. The attack on football has definitely lessened in recent years here in PA. The youth numbers have been creeping up over the past few years - not sure it's because of the Covid lockdowns, but the timing aligns.

Our society is still filled with normal people; we're just being inundated with news coverage of all the crazy stuff (which also seem to contain the loudest voices). Not sure why the media is so one-sided in support of the crazy stuff, but the normal people can't be afraid to support the facts.

 

[bucksftball]

I do think we need to be smart with how concussions are handled. The Tua situation last year didn't do the sport any favors. I've seen multiple examples in District 1 of coaches not taking it seriously (or worse, disregarding them in order to get an important player back on the field sooner than he should). The incident with the Downingtown West player in the D1 championship game just gives ammunition to those who ultimately want to hurt the game.

 

[CAMoleskinner]

They have interviewed some doc out here (on the news plenty as this story is cycling a lot) and he goes off on how many kids have concussions without seemingly any backup details.

They have also been talking to youth league groups and they all seem to be very reasonable folks following protocols that are in place.

This is getting traction - here's a story in Time:

California Weighs Ban on Tackle Football for Kids Under 12

The bill is supported by advocates seeking to protect kids from brain damage.

time.com

Then here's an ABC new story:

Debate begins over California bill that could ban youth tackle football for kids under 12

A California bill moving through the legislature could ban youth tackle football for children under age 12.

abcnews.go.com

Our esteemed Gov may get the Bill soon and he'll sign anything that "controls" the population and doesn't affect him (remember when he was out to dinner sans mask when advocating everyone else wear masks - even at home - to stop Covid).

You'll read girls flag football is on the rise out here so my comments are not as crazy as they may seem (women are taking over - great)..

The wussification of America is underway (oh well, all great civilizations and empires have their moment in the sun).

 

[tulla]

They have interviewed some doc out here (on the news plenty as this story is cycling a lot) and he goes off on how many kids have concussions without seemingly any backup details.

They have also been talking to youth league groups and they all seem to be very reasonable folks following protocols that are in place.

This is getting traction - here's a story in Time:

California Weighs Ban on Tackle Football for Kids Under 12

The bill is supported by advocates seeking to protect kids from brain damage.

time.com

Then here's an ABC new story:

Debate begins over California bill that could ban youth tackle football for kids under 12

A California bill moving through the legislature could ban youth tackle football for children under age 12.

abcnews.go.com

Our esteemed Gov may get the Bill soon and he'll sign anything that "controls" the population and doesn't affect him (remember when he was out to dinner sans mask when advocating everyone else wear masks - even at home - to stop Covid).

You'll read girls flag football is on the rise out here so my comments are not as crazy as they may seem (women are taking over - great)..

The wussification of America is underway (oh well, all great civilizations and empires have their moment in the sun).

It might be helpful to look at this in a wider context. Head injuries, especially concussions, are becoming a huge issue in rugby, a sport similar in many ways to football. Same thing for hockey: remember Eric Lindros? Soccer today, probably because of how often players "head the ball," is beginning to take brain injuries seriously. As for football, parents and players can't help but note the decision of some high-profile NFL players to cut short their careers because of concerns about head injuries. And there was just the report on the many Heisman winners who've had serious health problems, many brain-related, well before they reach old age.

Everybody on this board understands and appreciates the great benefits for kids of playing football. There's much more evidence of head injuries among young (under 12) hockey players than among young football players. What we need are sensible guidelines that distinguish between tolerable risks and intolerable ones. We'll never get to "risk-free" and shouldn't try.

 

[CAMoleskinner]

PS I am all for all efforts to make the sport of football as safe as it can be (especially for kids); however, I don't think eliminating "it" (contact ball) is the answer. These are slippery slopes aren't they? Perhaps age 12 or below isn't the only group that should be "protected" -- maybe it's all the way through to 18 (you can suffer a concussion in junior high and high school - that will be on the table at some point).

Well - CA is awfully proud of their gun laws (believe me - if they could get away with it nobody would have a firearm out here 2nd Amendment notwithstanding) so getting excited about dismantling football is right on schedule.

Being pretty (CA) only gets you so far and if you check it out this state has begun to lose population for the first time since I got here in '82 -- there's a reason for that.

PS Not trying to come off like a crazy person but the way it rolls out here (it seems) is some folks with an agenda (up in Sacramento) jump on the bandwagon and everyone rolls along with the Commissar gleefully pulling something else off the table.

Let's see -- 15% tax rate and a 68 Billion deficit. Hmmm - that's in a state which would have the world's fifth largest economy if it were a country (I believe that's the stat).

Way to go CA!

PPS I'd like to see concussion/longterm issues stats on kids who played peewee ball and then stopped. In other words, you play contact ball from say 9 to 12 years old and then you stop.

I'll bet you'd be hard pressed to find many examples of lifetime problems from four years of youth football.

College and pro would be different (and having enjoyed multiple cups of coffee with a major college program I can tell you I experienced several occasions of getting my bell seriously rung - never in high school but at least twice at the next level - and that's where you know you took a shot and went through the disorientation and the headache that lasted three days). Was that good? Doubt it and maybe I lucked out (everybody experienced them and as I said - I am unaware of any peer of mine who is suffering at this point in their life -- maybe their keeping it to themselves but I don't think so).

Once again - I know concussions/head injuries are not good and doesn't make anyone a man or better (cuz he could take a hit). I'm just not on board the "let's outlaw the game camp". I'm probably also "over" the CA method of chopping away at everything (won't be much left at some point).

 

[Stalker]

They have interviewed some doc out here (on the news plenty as this story is cycling a lot) and he goes off on how many kids have concussions without seemingly any backup details.

They have also been talking to youth league groups and they all seem to be very reasonable folks following protocols that are in place.

This is getting traction - here's a story in Time:

California Weighs Ban on Tackle Football for Kids Under 12

The bill is supported by advocates seeking to protect kids from brain damage.

time.com

Then here's an ABC new story:

Debate begins over California bill that could ban youth tackle football for kids under 12

A California bill moving through the legislature could ban youth tackle football for children under age 12.

abcnews.go.com

Our esteemed Gov may get the Bill soon and he'll sign anything that "controls" the population and doesn't affect him (remember when he was out to dinner sans mask when advocating everyone else wear masks - even at home - to stop Covid).

You'll read girls flag football is on the rise out here so my comments are not as crazy as they may seem (women are taking over - great)..

The wussification of America is underway (oh well, all great civilizations and empires have their moment in the sun).

That gov is a joke and most of us realize they could care less about any of us especially our children. But I guess boxing is definitely out the window!
Will say, having played most sports I took and saw more hard knocks and bad falls playing basketball than FB. Try having your legs taked out from under you and falling roughly 4 feet at speed onto a wooden floor. Being ignorant, we'd laugh at the guys laying on the floor with their eyes in another zone.
That hoops isn't being addressed as vigorously by those of that persuasion speaks to their ignorance.

 

[solfootballfan]

More concussions in soccer than football. Just sayin.