To answer the thread question, no football shouldn't be banned. That's just ridiculous to even suggest.

 

It should be up to each child's parents on whether or not they allow them to take part. Seems like an obvious answer. We really have 2 pages on this??

Heads up placing the face mask on target while sliding it to the side is NOT leading with the head, not sure how one can argue otherwise. Now the current teaching technique may be somewhat different and evolved, admittedly I have been away from football for a long time and I may not have explained it in the best way, but what I was taught was a "heads up" method...seeing your target and wrapping up. Leading with the crown, not seeing your target, head down is the method that is getting kids hurt.

 

Here is the link to the Heads up method so you can see what I'm referring to. How to tackle in Football | Tackling Technique | Youth Football | USA Football | Football's National Governing Body

 

As to my comment about initiating contact with the face mask. Yes, making contact with the face mask does place the head in the proper position, and eyes up is 100% correct. However, if the face mask is the first point of contact, you are still leading with the head. And aiming at the chest puts you in a position where, with the head up, the crown of your helmet can potentially end up hitting the chin of the ball carrier which is a dangerous position. Heads Up specifically teaches head to the side and does not teach or endorse making any contact with ANYpart of the head, face mask included. Perhaps I'm misunderstanding what you are describing...but I take your comment "face mask to the chest, then moving it to the side" to mean, that initial contact should be with the face mask.

 

In the 80's, we were always taught face mask on the football...for safety and the possibility of causing a fumble.

Edited April 12, 201610 yr by rjs4470

New report out saying that 40% of the the retired NFL players that were studied showed signs of a traumatic brain injury.

 

Another young NFL player retired this week due to concerns about long-term health.

 

None of these help the cause for kids whose parents are on the fence.

Here is the link to the Heads up method so you can see what I'm referring to. How to tackle in Football | Tackling Technique | Youth Football | USA Football | Football's National Governing Body

 

As to my comment about initiating contact with the face mask. Yes, making contact with the face mask does place the head in the proper position, and eyes up is 100% correct. However, if the face mask is the first point of contact, you are still leading with the head. And aiming at the chest puts you in a position where, with the head up, the crown of your helmet can potentially end up hitting the chin of the ball carrier which is a dangerous position. Heads Up specifically teaches head to the side and does not teach or endorse making any contact with ANYpart of the head, face mask included. Perhaps I'm misunderstanding what you are describing...but I take your comment "face mask to the chest, then moving it to the side" to mean, that initial contact should be with the face mask.

 

In the 80's, we were always taught face mask on the football...for safety and the possibility of causing a fumble.

 

I haven't explained it very well I guess because again we were not leading with our heads, and body would be almost parallel to the ball carrier where face mask/chest were making contact at the same time. Then over time it seems it became launch and try to make hard hit with the shoulder, head down, or at least that's how kids were trying to tackle.

New report out saying that 40% of the the retired NFL players that were studied showed signs of a traumatic brain injury.

 

Another young NFL player retired this week due to concerns about long-term health.

 

None of these help the cause for kids whose parents are on the fence.

 

All of this is salient, but it shouldn't be fully encompassing of the discussion at the high school level. People citing professional players sets up a false equivalency. These guys have careers twice or three times as long as your average high school kid and at a much higher level. The collisions at the high school level vs. the pro level is night and day. The chances of replicating what a pro, heck, even a college football player goes through compared to your high schooler are incredibly slim.

All of this is salient, but it shouldn't be fully encompassing of the discussion at the high school level. People citing professional players sets up a false equivalency. These guys have careers twice or three times as long as your average high school kid and at a much higher level. The collisions at the high school level vs. the pro level is night and day. The chances of replicating what a pro, heck, even a college football player goes through compared to your high schooler are incredibly slim.

 

All you say is true.

 

However, THIS plus stories of high school kids dying from 2nd Concussion Syndrome all factor in. Plus too many studies are coming out talking about the severity of head injuries suffered at a young age.

You can not lead with your shoulder without leading with your head......unless you're a turtle.

Travis Roy - Motivational Speaker, Author, Activist >> About Travis Roy

Just check his story. And he'd do it all over again. Watch his E:60. Hockey is JUST as violent as football, yet, we don't hear much from that side.