Parents' Views of Football

[rjs4470]

Kids are absolutely getting more soft. Now whether or not that affects whether or not they play football, that's a different discussion.

 

I don't know. Do they have things easier than us (I graduated HS in the late 80's)? Yep, absolutely. I grew up without cable, computers, cell phones and air conditioning, which my kids can't even imagine. But I also had an opportunity to be kid. Kids nowadays have so many commitments for sports, school, activities etc, and have to work harder than ever to excel. My kids have gotten to train for sports at a high level from a young age, with 6 day/week commitments, have already completed a semesters worth of college classes before graduating high school, have held jobs while playing sports at a high level, and going to school. I didn't have to work anywhere near as hard growing up. And I can't tell you how many kids I've seen who've had to grow up really fast as products of broken homes, and whose home life is complete chaos due to addiction and mental illness.

 

Kids may have more comforts in today's world. But that doesn't make them soft.

[P_G]

Not a parent, and I wouldn't forbid my kid from playing, but there's no chance I actively encourage them to try it.

 

As has been mentioned, the life lessons can be learned in just about any extracurricular, and at about half the physical toll, though after the Gordon Hayward-esque injury I witnessed last night on the basketball court, I might just ask the doctor to put my kids in a plastic bubble.

[plantmanky]

I don't know. Do they have things easier than us (I graduated HS in the late 80's)? Yep, absolutely. I grew up without cable, computers, cell phones and air conditioning, which my kids can't even imagine. But I also had an opportunity to be kid. Kids nowadays have so many commitments for sports, school, activities etc, and have to work harder than ever to excel. My kids have gotten to train for sports at a high level from a young age, with 6 day/week commitments, have already completed a semesters worth of college classes before graduating high school, have held jobs while playing sports at a high level, and going to school. I didn't have to work anywhere near as hard growing up. And I can't tell you how many kids I've seen who've had to grow up really fast as products of broken homes, and whose home life is complete chaos due to addiction and mental illness.

 

Kids may have more comforts in today's world. But that doesn't make them soft.

 

I will agree with you that they are working harder at different things and to me, that seems to be some of the problem (for some not all). Kids are more everyday life ignorant than they were before, if that makes sense.

[ThrillVille Cardinal51]

What are you basing this claim on? Don't get me wrong, I love football just as much as anybody. I played from the ages of 10-18. There are of course great benefits to playing football. I learned teamwork, sacrifice, and responsibility not to mention I just had a lot of fun and great memories. However, none of those are unique to football, they are unique to playing a team sport in general. With the science becoming more and more clear of the damage that can be done even at an early age and even with proper techniques and safety regulations in place why would a parent not lean toward having their kid play a safer sport where the same valuable life lessons can be learned? I know when the time comes I'm going to have to think long and hard before letting my future sons sign up.

Don’t be a wimp.

 

My boy is going to take the team to state.

[Calico Jack]

Not a parent, and I wouldn't forbid my kid from playing, but there's no chance I actively encourage them to try it.

 

As has been mentioned, the life lessons can be learned in just about any extracurricular, and at about half the physical toll, though after the Gordon Hayward-esque injury I witnessed last night on the basketball court, I might just ask the doctor to put my kids in a plastic bubble.

 

Speaking of that. I have seen two confirmed concussions in basketball this year (more than I witnessed in football) and likely a 3rd the other night when I saw a girl crash into the bottom row of a bleacher and literally broke her face; being rushed to emergency orthodontal surgery knocking the bridges of her mouth loose.

 

I’ve seen nastier injuries in basketball as much as I’ve seen in football.

[Calico Jack]

Kids are absolutely getting more soft. Now whether or not that affects whether or not they play football, that's a different discussion.

 

They are, and I blame most of that on how they are being raised as a whole.

 

I’ll say this though; more is required of kids these days than any generation before in terms of athletics. Stuff never stops.

[bruin66]

Kids are absolutely getting more soft. Now whether or not that affects whether or not they play football, that's a different discussion.

 

I am not sure kids are any different than in any era. They just have a different set of obstacles to overcome than maybe we did. That is why they need football now more than ever. For many kids, football practice is the only time they get told "no." Or the only time they have to truly work for what they get. That is why we must continue to sell our game and not let these opportunities to learn how to be a man get tossed by the wayside.

[Deaconjim]

I`m not so sure the kids are the ones getting softer. My kids probably got by with things that I wouldn`t have had a layer of skin left on my rear end if I had done. Luckily I`ve got two productive sons so who`s to say one way is better than another.

[Hellcats]

More concussions are being diagnosed at all levels of football. Things that were ignored before. The bullseye is on football’s back to make sure everything is done by the book.

 

I love to hear people say their kids aren’t playing football, but they put them on a four wheeler, motorcycle, or hot car.

[MBWC41]

More concussions are being diagnosed at all levels of football. Things that were ignored before. The bullseye is on football’s back to make sure everything is done by the book.

 

I love to hear people say their kids aren’t playing football, but they put them on a four wheeler, motorcycle, or hot car.

 

This.

 

I played football from the 3rd or 4th grade through my senior year of high school. I have a six month old sitting on my lap right now, if he wants to play, he’ll play.

 

I refuse to discourage him from playing the ultimate team sport out of fear. He’s just as likely to hurt himself on a bicycle, dirt bike or car accident.

[ggclfan]

Not a parent, and I wouldn't forbid my kid from playing, but there's no chance I actively encourage them to try it.

 

As has been mentioned, the life lessons can be learned in just about any extracurricular, and at about half the physical toll, though after the Gordon Hayward-esque injury I witnessed last night on the basketball court, I might just ask the doctor to put my kids in a plastic bubble.

 

This is where I am at. I played football for a few years growing up but then settled in on hoops and baseball in HS and baseball in college. I have two daughters so there was never a football decision. If I had a son and he REALLY wanted to play football, I would let him. However, I would NEVER push him in any way to play and would actually tell him I am not a fan of him playing...but would let him play if he really wanted to.

 

And I know you can hurt playing any sport. I have seen horrific injuries in baseball and basketball and soccer, etc. However, you are kidding yourself if you think the chances of significant head injuries is as much in those sports when compared to football. Football is a collision sport. The others are not. I respect the guys who play it but I would not be excited for my kid to play...just my opinion.

[jlow]

We live in a very soft society.

[P_G]

We live in a very soft society.

 

Nothing on this earth is as valuable as the mind of a child. If caring about that is soft, you can call me Charmin.

[Calico Jack]

Nothing on this earth is as valuable as the mind of a child. If caring about that is soft, you can call me Charmin.

@jlow can correct me if I’m wrong here, but I believe he was probably eluding to a bigger problem.

 

We live in a society that is worried about everything. From football to every single food we put in our bodies (come to think of it, parents/kids I know that don’t play football bc I’d worried health risks sure as rain don’t mind living in the fast food lines) and everything in between.

 

It’s like the stats that were posted about concussions per 100,000 participants. Football being in the 70s soccer (boys anyway) being in the 30’s; I mean really? If that’s not splitting hairs percentage wise I don’t know what is. But you know what? Talk to many out there and think soccer is just this much safer alternative and in the grand scheme of things it’s really zero difference when you look at the big picture.

 

My mom wasn’t exactly a fan of football at first; she wasn’t really for it nor against it, but over time she has grown to to like it.

 

I never will forget her telling me once upon a time (and, I heard her tell a family this the other day at one of our kids functions):

 

“There was always that worry of just hoping he’d come out safe; I think that’s natural for all parents- it’s just part of being a parent. But, no sport he ever played; specifically football ever terrified me as much as him driving a car and being a passenger with somebody else just took it over the top.”

 

I’m all for information out there when it comes to making anything healthier and safer, but I honestly don’t know how some people get the courage up enough to leave their house.

 

What absolutely infuriates me is that you NEVER hear about the millions upon millions upon millions that played football and came away just fine. They had great lives then and live those now.

 

But you NEVER hear about those. Why? It doesn’t fit those driving the football scare agenda. That doesnt make the news.

 

Kind of like cars and flying. The news doesn’t talk about all of the people on the road who don’t have a wreck, just those that crash. Same with flying.

 

Thats what he means by soft society (at least how I took it), and I’d have to agree to a large extent.

[Calico Jack]

The other take from what @jlow Said is also true. Many kids out there who would be very good football players simply don’t because it’s just flat out tougher.

 

Those that what to stone me for saying that. Fire away; you don’t have to agree with it. If you played football along with other sports through high school then you’d know.

 

But the selflessness and overall flat out hard work-demands of football are just tougher.

 

If basketball and baseball teams only played a guarantee 10 games a year, but you had to work your tail off 9 months out of the year (most of which involves not using a ball); you’d see a lot less participation. The same with baseball.

 

Replace AAU, Travel ball, ‘Open Gym’ etc for those sports with squats, power cleans, deadlift, lunges, bench, sprints, hills, sled work and everything else that goes into an off season football training program and see how many kids would be like, “Yeah. This isn’t for me.”

 

That’s also what he means by “Soft Society”. He’s right.