Question

[wilkie 1,518]

My 9 year old grandson in the 4th grade is playing tackle football this year. Knowing what we now know.....would you let your son play tackle football. Damn but I loved playing. But I am unsure about the risks for concussion

 

I had two. Coach said I got my bell rung. Probably explains a lot about me. But........

[Chiefsfan1963 1,101]

Unless you bubble wrap an active kid they are going to get hurt and there is nothing you can do about it.

 

Yes playing contact sports heightens the chance for injuries but shit happens. Most if not all of my sports related injuries, minus my latest, was do to either over doing it or doing it wrong.

 

If my grandsons or son asked me for advice on this I would let them play. The players coming up with bane damage have played for years and years without any regard for their health. Good coaches are watching now.

[oldtimer 8,686]

better not let em drive cars either..when does it stop?. At least  Football can make you a living or get you a scholarship..nothing but siting in a closet is harmless..well that probably is too. People living their lives scared to live.. that aint livin..pathetic

[West 6,713]

Daughters Swam and Played Volleyball all through college

 

Sons ran track and cross country all through college.

 

Does he love football?  If he loves it, he should play until he doesn't love it.

 

I would just make sure the kid competes in one sport or another.

 

Learning how to compete and how to win is very important.

 

w

[SEMO 6,811]

Daughters Swam and Played Volleyball all through college

 

Sons ran track and cross country all through college.

 

Does he love football? If he loves it, he should play until he doesn't love it.

 

I would just make sure the kid competes in one sport or another.

 

Learning how to compete and how to win is very important.

 

w

C'mon, West. It doesn't matter if they win. Only that they participate.

[Vonschnitz 130]

I would encourage them to play another sport.  There is no such thing as a head collision that does not cause damage.  It is cumulative.  It takes off IQ points bit by bit as the number of collisions accumulate, whether or not it is labeled a "concussion" with loss of consciousness, dizziness, confusion, and/or headache or not. It has been shown that much milder impacts also cause damage.  Its just the truth. The football players who do not receive collisions to the head on a regular basis as part and parcel of the game are kickers first and quarterbacks second. Learning to be either of those would be something I would encourage any kid to do who simply cannot stand the idea of any sport besides football.  I love to watch the game, but I would not want my own kid to play the sport except for those two positions.

[wilkie 1,518]

My feeling is that football is NOT like other sports. He is not very big for his age. I was adequate physically but I wonder if he should play something else.

 

Football is the ultimate team sport. But it takes mostly big fast guys. I would like him to have the experiences I enjoyed. But I wonder if it's worth the price.

 

PS... I was an okay OLB. I also played WR and was the designated slow white guy.

[Chiefsfan1963 1,101]

C'mon, West. It doesn't matter if they win. Only that they participate.

And get a trophy for their effort.

[ATLchief 3,126]

My feeling is that football is NOT like other sports. He is not very big for his age. I was adequate physically but I wonder if he should play something else.

 

Football is the ultimate team sport. But it takes mostly big fast guys. I would like him to have the experiences I enjoyed. But I wonder if it's worth the price.

 

PS... I was an okay OLB. I also played WR and was the designated slow white guy.

 

I would say let him play, and he will probably figure it out for himself.

 

 

Incidentally, this is my 10-year-old son's first season of tackle (after 4 years of flag).  It's been quite the eye-opener for him.  I'm glad we've given him the opportunity to play. And believe me, we agonized over the decision.

 

This is the first sport where he's beginning to get a taste of what kind of commitment it takes if you want to go on and play through junior high and high school.

 

They practice Mon. - Fri., 6:30pm - 8:30pm.  Then 9am - 11am on Saturday.  If you're keeping track, that's 6 days a week. Once school starts, it goes down to 3 evening practices a week.

 

When I was his age, I would have said, "Fuck that."

 

He's already impressed the hell out of me with his toughness.  He's not the biggest, or the fastest, but he's not small, and he's not slow.  One thing he is, is smart.  He can probably sit down and talk about the game more intelligently than a lot of adults.

 

And if he decides after this season that it's just too much, and he doesn't really have the fire for it...then I'm totally fine with that.  At least he tried.

[Spfdchiefsfan 621]

Let him play Wilks!  There is risk in every sport, Track, you twist an ankle, fall, hit your head on the track, boom, concussion, basketball, someone under cuts you you hit your head on the floor, boom, concussion, baseball, take a line drive off the head, boom concussion, under water basket weaving, you dive into the shallow end, hit your head, boom concussion.  Let the kid try it, he may not like it, but I will never tell my kid not to do something out of fear.

[Gil 243]

I only have daughters, but I am going to get my grandson into kicking/punting camps. If he wants to do more, I won't discourage him from pursuing it, but it's scary now that we are more enlightened. 

[Chiefsfan1963 1,101]

I would rather my grandchildren get into MMA fighting, it's so much safer.

[KC Warpaint 3,234]

My grandson likes Soccer, trying to steer him to try baseball but no luck so far...BTW is using the I-pad a sport because he would definitely be a winner at that

[wilkie 1,518]

Tried steering him to soccer but he wants none of it. Wants the same experience his grandpa had. Can't say much about it except every collision to the head is bad, helmet or no helmet

[West 6,713]

I wish him only the very best and wholeheartedly recommend you go to every game you can.

 

As you well know, these are some of the best memories of all.

 

w

[wilkie 1,518]

They absolutely were for me. And yes I will go to every game. Just wonder if 9 is still a bit young to be playing tackle football.

[Chiefsfan1963 1,101]

They absolutely were for me. And yes I will go to every game. Just wonder if 9 is still a bit young to be playing tackle football.

I've always wondered if 21 was too old to allow people to legally drink. I mean you can vote and fight for your country. Oh the drama.

 

Wilkie, if they are taking massive hits at 9 them there is an issue. As far as soccer goes. You can easily be crippled with damaged knees, legs and hips as well as concussions.

[ATLchief 3,126]

I've always wondered if 21 was too old to allow people to legally drink. I mean you can vote and fight for your country. Oh the drama.

 

Wilkie, if they are taking massive hits at 9 them there is an issue. As far as soccer goes. You can easily be crippled with damaged knees, legs and hips as well as concussions.

 

I was talking to a mom at my son's lacrosse practice this past spring, who told me she had to pull her daughter out of soccer because of multiple concussions.  Granted, she was older (high school), but the risk is still there.

[Chiefsfan1963 1,101]

I was talking to a mom at my son's lacrosse practice this past spring, who told me she had to pull her daughter out of soccer because of multiple concussions. Granted, she was older (high school), but the risk is still there.

Anytime you play in competitive sports you will always have injuries, it's the nature of the beast.

[Vonschnitz 130]

Anytime you play in competitive sports you will always have injuries, it's the nature of the beast.

Multiple injuries to knees and backs and hips will make you gimpy and need joint replacements when you get to middle age.  But multiple concussions will make you stupid, forgetful, and depressed beginning before middle age...and it can't be fixed with a brain replacement.  As for concussions, it is not additive.  It is logarithmic.  Three of them will probably be nine times more likely to cause permanent brain tissue loss and shrinkage of grey matter, not three times.  After one single concussion in a sport by a kid, it would be parental negligence to let that kid continue in that sport.  Might as well put lead in their food.  Just my opinion as a physician, of course.

[wilkie 1,518]

Again, football does not equate with soccer. It is a contact sport eclipsed only by boxing. He is going to play whatever I say. Just hope he doesn't become another statistic.

[SEMO 6,811]

I have had a few concussions. 2 from car wrecks. The only issue that I have anymore is a terrible short term memory. However, I can't prove concussions caused it.

[SEMO 6,811]

I have had a few concussions. 2 from car wrecks. The only issue that I have anymore is a terrible short term memory. However, I can't prove concussions caused it.

[SEMO 6,811]

I have had a few concussions. 2 from car wrecks. The only issue that I have anymore is a terrible short term memory. However, I can't prove concussions caused it.

[oldtimer 8,686]

Multiple injuries to knees and backs and hips will make you gimpy and need joint replacements when you get to middle age.  But multiple concussions will make you stupid, forgetful, and depressed beginning before middle age...and it can't be fixed with a brain replacement.  As for concussions, it is not additive.  It is logarithmic.  Three of them will probably be nine times more likely to cause permanent brain tissue loss and shrinkage of grey matter, not three times.  After one single concussion in a sport by a kid, it would be parental negligence to let that kid continue in that sport.  Might as well put lead in their food.  Just my opinion as a physician, of course.

 

 

so no sports at all other than Golf/swimming and ?? is your prescription?