Would You Let Your Kids Play Football?

[AK-Jax86]

Basketball is definitely a lot rougher than people think.  I played all through high school and college and saw many injuries ranging from your normal ankle breaks and sprains to ACL injuries to concussions to my own injury of injuring my back to the point it sitll bothers me today and i don't really play anymore.

 

The positive aspects of the game far outweigh the negatives in my mind and that goes for any sport.  I would rather have a few bumps and bruises than become a vegetable or an "active" gamer.

 

In football they are teaching a lot more of how to tackle correctly with your head up with various drills and the like.  The changing of how people hit isn't going to change overnight.

 

 

well said Fly

[clayton86]

I was never into sports really i played baseball from t ball all the way to JV my 9th grade year never was die hard about it. Soon as I could throw a haybale and learned what I can buy with some hard work I traded sports for a job in high school starting when I was 12 then worked FT at 14. And by FT I mean FT for a kid I logged as many hours as possible working from after school till they kicked me of the shop at night.

My oldest shows little intrest in sports right now at least traditional sports. He watches 3 gun nation and wants to do that he says. He's always bugging about shooting sports he wants a new bow a "real" one like mine and asked to join the 3d leauge with me. If thats what he wants to do I'll let him by all means. If he decides to play football, baseball, hockey, LAX what ever it may be its his choice I'm not going to sway him in any one direction.

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Sitting here right now with the aches and pains of lifting/playing football for over 10 years, personally I still got more out of the organized team sport aspect than I had to give.

 

Would I like to have shoulders and knees that don't hurt in the morning? Sure.

 

Would I like to forget all the, ahem, benefits that came from a starting position on both high school and college football teams? No sir.

 

I dont think I have to worry about my daughter playing football but when the time comes, if that is something she seems interested in, then I feel I would owe it to her to have an open discussion about whatever sport/activity she wanted to participate with. I'm glad my mom didnt automatically shut down my interest in football. I feel my daughter deserves the same consideration.

[AK-Jax86]

Sitting here right now with the aches and pains of lifting/playing football for over 10 years, personally I still got more out of the organized team sport aspect than I had to give.

Would I like to have shoulders and knees that don't hurt in the morning? Sure.

Would I like to forget all the, ahem, benefits that came from a starting position on both high school and college football teams? No sir.

I dont think I have to worry about my daughter playing football but when the time comes, if that is something she seems interested in, then I feel I would owe it to her to have an open discussion about whatever sport/activity she wanted to participate with. I'm glad my mom didnt automatically shut down my interest in football. I feel my daughter deserves the same consideration.

I can relate to everything you said except my pain isn't significant and I have a son. I would never push anything on him but I would sit him down and give him the facts both positive and negative.

[dave]

I can relate to everything you said except my pain isn't significant and I have a son. I would never push anything on him but I would sit him down and give him the facts both positive and negative.

I too enjoyed the "glory" of having been a successfull high school football player.  At reunions and seeing old classmates,  they (we) still talk fondly about the glory days.

 

Thirty years later,  those memories are the only positive thing I have to show for it.  I am prescribed to take 2400 mg of Motrin per day (I only take 1600).   I've had two knee and two shoulder operations and a herniated disc in my neck that has my neurosurgeon baffled and my legs tingling a lot of the time.  I don't have one day or even maybe one hour or minute without some kind of pain.   Knee,  neck,  back,  foot, etc...

 

Some may say, "I'd do it all again the same,  I wouldn't change a thing."  I am not so sure I would.  I don't know what I'd do without those memories,  they sure are good but,  the pain really sucks.

 

My son played boys club football when he was in second and third grade and then switched to soccer.  He really didn't have love of football.  You have to love football in order to play it successfully.  He switched to soccer to be able to play with his friends and I fully supported him because it was more "fun" for him.  Funny thing is,  is that he is 20 now.   Voracious reader and techno geek, in the body of a 6' 3" 250# football player. LOL 

[SirSnookalot]

Growing up I was not big kid and not tall, sports like basketball and football were for fun only.  I give my mother some credit recognizing the fact I could hurt, she urged me to take up golf at about 9 years old.  Golf stayed with me my entire life both for competition as well fun, lacking some natural talents I went as far as I could go on a competitive level.

My passion for golf has never waned, however I don't play anymore.  I'm focused on saltwater fishing and enjoy doing that every day.

[Sam]

Yes.

 

Too many pros vs. cons.

 

Playing football has so many advantages for a child.

[tyrius.]

I've watched about an hour's worth of football today and have seen two different players get knocked out.  A Patriots receivers and Reskins special teams guy.  My nephew plays high school ball and he's had two MAJOR injuries.  The first was a ruptured spleen and punctured lung.  The second was an ACL tear.  For all those people talking about soccer injuries, those aren't the same.

 

Football isn't going to be an option for my two sons.  The first one shows no interest anyways so I dodged that one.  My second may show interest but he's only three so I've got some time to steer him away from it.

[GeorgiaBassBros]

Absolutely yes, teaches em to be tough if nothin else. My kids will also play lacrosse, baseball is not an option

[mrmacwvu1]

I will let him do whatever he wants but I will encourage him to golf. I love to golf and that way not only will I be getting to do something that I love it will be good quality time to talk and bond with my son. I would not be dissappointed if it was just golf fishing and hunting for my son.

[basshole8190]

I ran track played basketball. football. and baseball thru highschool and baseball in college my parents let me play whatever sport i wanted growing up i will probably let my son do the same.

[basshole8190]

I will let him do whatever he wants but I will encourage him to golf. I love to golf and that way not only will I be getting to do something that I love it will be good quality time to talk and bond with my son. I would not be dissappointed if it was just golf fishing and hunting for my son.

my son seems to have taken a sstrong like to fishing so if that's all he ever wants to do i would be happy but when he's older helping me skin some deer would be awesome lol