If you had or do have a young son would you let him play American Football? (1 Viewer)

[The Dude]

Has anybody mentioned there are more concussions in high school soccer than football

 

[squidrope]

I think the rewards far outweigh the risks. What percentage of people who played through high school have CTE or other major life-changing health problems?

Sorry that you feel that way, but we're just getting a handle on what's happening to the professionals.  I'm sure that there are those who didn't make it to the pro level that have been impacted.  To think otherwise is...  Anything that impacts an individual with such violence can't be healthy.  Pretty simple.  You choose to say at the HS level it's ok.  What's that based on?

 

[Hawks64]

  I played and loved the game.  But I remember getting hit so hard that a wave of pain went thru my entire body (special teams are brutal).  The science is proving that we weren't meant to absorb these kinds of impacts.  "Shake it off" don't cut it anymore.  Those of you letting your kids do this need to look at the facts.  It isn't safe.  Doesn't matter how much fun I had playing the game.  The risks have to outweigh the rewards.  

I think the rewards far outweigh the risks. What percentage of people who played through high school have CTE or other major life-changing health problems?

I didn't get migraines until my senior year in HS.

 

[rascal]

My answer was no before all the concussions stories started coming out.  I played from age 8 to 19 and I loved every minute of it.  But I have regular migraines, depression, and memory loss due to multiple concussions.  Sure my sons could get a concussion from whatever, but I see no reason to add to that potential risk when there are other rewarding activities.

 

[rascal]

I think the rewards far outweigh the risks. What percentage of people who played through high school have CTE or other major life-changing health problems?

I played through high school and I suffer from regular migraines, memory loss, and depression.  I also have had three major knee surgeries (two torn meniscus and a torn ACL).

I played TE/LB till I filled out and finished playing DT/DE/OT (6'5" and 280).

 

[rascal]

Has anybody mentioned there are more concussions in high school soccer than football

That is something that does need to be looked at.  My son's soccer league doesn't allow headers.

 

[Ditkaless Wonders]

You're doing a disservice to your potential FrakenDW as his football income, even if maximized, would pale in comparison to creating a left handed pitching monster.  Longer career, more guaranteed $$, less stress on most of the body, not likely to be dull by 50.  Ovum of Randy Johnson's mom and baby batter from Steve Carlton's loins and **BOOM** the perfect creature!

If it were about money I could not disagree, but it is not.  I want something else, something primal.

 

[Jobber]

That is something that does need to be looked at.  My son's soccer league doesn't allow headers.

Yep, Minnesota Youth Soccer and I believe US Soccer forbids headers until either U11 or U12. And like I mentioned earlier, I discourage my kids from heading but for the soft looping headers on goal for instance.

 

[Dismattle]

Its the power of the media..  NFL is a multi-billion industry   For some idiots (me) ya just have to lead a story, with something that sounds awesome OR bad.. 

Always gonna be something worse too..  Some parents have kids training for UFC..  (50 yrs ago) They used to have boxing every Friday night.  Football is dangerous, but its a sport..  Id chalk it up like, some speaking of plane deaths  >>  Hello, More likely to have Car deaths..  Guess we could ask:  Parents bad for not allowing football?  That seems a bit harsh..  I mean their under your roof, and your responsible..  Would it bother me, if I seen ya sitting in front of TV, all excited, pumping your fist, spouting expletives?   Lets just say, I think its fair too say Parents suck  LOL

 

[Eephus]

I let my son play but was glad when he decided it wasn't his game. 

 

[Hov34]

  I played and loved the game.  But I remember getting hit so hard that a wave of pain went thru my entire body (special teams are brutal).  The science is proving that we weren't meant to absorb these kinds of impacts.  "Shake it off" don't cut it anymore.  Those of you letting your kids do this need to look at the facts.  It isn't safe.  Doesn't matter how much fun I had playing the game.  The risks have to outweigh the rewards.  

I think the rewards far outweigh the risks. What percentage of people who played through high school have CTE or other major life-changing health problems?

I didn't get migraines until my senior year in HS.

I played from 7th through 12th grade.  Remember 3 times where I "probably" had a concussion - but who knows because no one cared (82 to 87).  Two were in practice and one in a game.  The first one was at practice in 8th grade when our dumb ### coach had a thing during practice where he blew a whistle and and it was a free for all - hit anyone anywhere.  He wanted us to "keep our head on a swivel" as he put it.  I got blind sided and totally wiped out.  ( I know, should have had my head on a swivel).  Wasn't right for 2  days after.  Another my Junior year in practice during full contact drills, tackled our full back and we went helmet to helmet.  In fact practices were way more violent than games.

Anyway didn't think anything about it then because you didn't (hell, "jacked up" on ESPN was on the air just a few years ago.  It was part of it "lighting someone" up was the thing to do.  Chipped bones in my ankle my senior year and my football days were done.  (looking back, I'm glad it ended there)

Started getting pretty serious migraines my first year of college.  Blurred vision, numbness on one side of my arm.  Still have them today, more frequent, but less severe.  Not saying the migraines came from the football, but who knows.  Just glad I have daughters.

 

[Henry Ford]

I think the rewards far outweigh the risks. What percentage of people who played through high school have CTE or other major life-changing health problems?

There's been no study to my knowledge of hs players who have played in the last 50 years and the effect on their brains in percentage terms. 

 

[[scooter]]

I know concussions are a significant concern, but I have witnessed as many, if not more, concussions the past few years in soccer, baseball and basketball than in football.

Have you witnessed as many repetitive blows to the head in soccer, baseball and basketball than you see in every single game of football?

 

[[scooter]]

Has anybody mentioned there are more concussions in high school soccer than football

11-year study of multiple high school sports: football accounted for more than half of all concussions

 

[BigSteelThrill]

11-year study of multiple high school sports: football accounted for more than half of all concussions

Maybe he was including all the flops and fake injuries in soccer.

 

[Short Corner]

There is a point where the CTE-scare is real, particularly with teens and adults running into each other at full speed, but where is the data to indicate that it's a real issue for a kid that (for example) plays tackle football from 4th-6th grade and then quits?  Not letting your kid experience tackle football at this age seems like an overreaction. 

The problem comes when your son falls in love with the sport, gets good at it, and wants to continue to play through junior high and high school.  That's the point where I think parents (and the kid) have tough decisions to make.

Their insurance company will make that decision for them eventually.

 

[Bull Dozier]

I played small college football and it basically helped pay for my college degree.

My son just turned 11 and his life goal right now is to play WR in the NFL (I was a WR).  I'm kind of a dream big type of guy, so I've encouraged him and helped him work on his skills.  That said, he has played in flag football leagues for 3 years, but we have kept him out of tackle football...until this Fall.  We are getting his pads and helmet checked out on Thursday and then he will be introduced to the world of real football starting then.

I played WR & Safety in HS and then WR in college.  The vast majority of my collisions came when I was in blocking as a TE.  I can count on one hand the number of times I took a shot near the head as a WR at any level and am fairly certain I never got a concussion (did get one playing basketball, so I know what they are like).  A player who truly plays on the outside will likely not see half as many collisions as the lineman, RB's, TE's and front 7 defenders.  Not sure how I'd feel if he wanted to be a middle backer or fullback, I'd probably hold him back a little longer at least but he isn't built for that.  He will be long and lean until he is old enough to get fat and out of shape like me.

tl:dr - Yes, my son is 11 and he will be playing tackle football this Fall.

ETA - I didn't play organized football of any kind until I was in 8th grade.

Just my completely amateur opinion, but there is no reason to play tackle football before high school as long as there are flag leagues available in your area.  This is even more true if your goal is to be a WR.

A good friend of mine is a high school coach.  He was the head coach for three years, and wanted very much to switch their youth program to flag through 8th grade, but knew he wasn't going to be around long enough to make the change.  I really think that is the direction youth programs need to go to.

 

[fightingillini]

I let me son go through middle school football conditioning during the summer before 7th grade.  Pretty brutal down here in SC.   He changed his mind and wasn't going to try out for football.  He didn't want to do what it takes to make the team.  At least he got into really good shape!

Fine with me.  I get props for letting him try, and it's great that I won't have to worry about him getting seriously hurt.  Now he plays lacrosse....and has already had one broken finger.

I didn't play football in HS and I am pretty much pain free today in my late 40s.  Have lots of friends who played in HS and smaller colleges and they all have knee and shoulder problems today.

 

[Da Guru]

The future players of football will be the under class like boxing has always been.  People who will risk health for $$$$ and success.  It has been trending that way for many years already. Although there are exceptions the NFL does not attract the brightest and best of society. Many of the players are a rung or two above a prison lifer.

 

[rockaction]

I would be really careful and monitor any son that wanted to play football or hockey. They're both heavy-hitting sports that have to cause brain damage at some point. It would seem to behoove youth leagues to hold off on the hitting until at least sixteen, but that's just IMO.

 

[rockaction]

The future players of football will be the under class like boxing has always been.  People who will risk health for $$$$ success.

This is actually a pretty astute comment, and true. Machismo also is more accepted in the underclass, an attitude that plays a large role in these sports.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Yep, Minnesota Youth Soccer and I believe US Soccer forbids headers until either U11 or U12. And like I mentioned earlier, I discourage my kids from heading but for the soft looping headers on goal for instance.

When I was growing up, most head injuries in soccer came from headers but not in the act of heading the ball.  They came from either elbows to the head or head to head contact.

 

[SWC]

brohans rare swc serious guy post here i played hs football and now i am a long long long time from that and my life has not been all sunday picinics and walkin down a lilly lane but i have metal in three major joints that will probably fail and i will have to redone i have blown up discs in my lower back i get tons of migraines and live most days on ibuprofen now is that all from hs football probably not ive been down a lot of rough roads and i am not even claiming that i can say yep that one time i got hit i felt this or that but i am saying and i feel pretty sure that it did not help anything along in addition with other choices i made that were hard on my body so to me if i had a kid looking at hs football today the answer would be  no do not risk your body for four years of your life that you will forget pretty quick anyhow because having a hard time walking in the fourth quarter of your life totally stinks the bag take that to the bank bromigos 

 

[Jayrod]

Just my completely amateur opinion, but there is no reason to play tackle football before high school as long as there are flag leagues available in your area.  This is even more true if your goal is to be a WR.

A good friend of mine is a high school coach.  He was the head coach for three years, and wanted very much to switch their youth program to flag through 8th grade, but knew he wasn't going to be around long enough to make the change.  I really think that is the direction youth programs need to go to.

I get that.

However, the youth leagues now pound proper blocking and tackling techniques into the players from the beginning.  No dropping the head but see what you block/tackle.  Use your shoulders, get your head to the side and wrap up.  There is always going to be risk in every sport and football is making a concerted effort to decrease the risk moving forward.

Also, I ref college & HS football and we are being told to err on the side of safety and eliminate the big hits from the game.  Blindside blocks where a player gets wiped out are illegal at every level now as is any big hit involving the head of either player.

Between better training and changes to the way the game is played, I think the next wave of players will see a dramatic decrease in brain injuries.  I'm honestly not afraid to allow my son the opportunity to play tackle football because the odds of him getting hurt playing football aren't that much greater than other sports.  In my personal experience, I received worse injuries in basketball and baseball than I ever did in football.  Sports have risk.  If I saw my son dropping his head and trying to pound people with his helmet, I'd pull him out of it....but as long as he uses good technique, football is a great team game and he'll love it like I did.

 

[Fat Nick]

Let him play - Yes.

Encourage him to play - No.

...unless he wants to be a kicker like I was.  Kickers don't really have the health issues others do...you know, because we're ####### who don't hit people and can't get hit.  (Except for Joey Julius...)

 

[Bull Dozier]

I get that.

However, the youth leagues now pound proper blocking and tackling techniques into the players from the beginning.  No dropping the head but see what you block/tackle.  Use your shoulders, get your head to the side and wrap up.  There is always going to be risk in every sport and football is making a concerted effort to decrease the risk moving forward.

Also, I ref college & HS football and we are being told to err on the side of safety and eliminate the big hits from the game.  Blindside blocks where a player gets wiped out are illegal at every level now as is any big hit involving the head of either player.

Between better training and changes to the way the game is played, I think the next wave of players will see a dramatic decrease in brain injuries.  I'm honestly not afraid to allow my son the opportunity to play tackle football because the odds of him getting hurt playing football aren't that much greater than other sports.  In my personal experience, I received worse injuries in basketball and baseball than I ever did in football.  Sports have risk.  If I saw my son dropping his head and trying to pound people with his helmet, I'd pull him out of it....but as long as he uses good technique, football is a great team game and he'll love it like I did.

The problem with football (not necessarily unique to football though) is that an individual player playing with proper technique cannot insulate himself from the dangerous contact from other players.

I grew up playing in the 80s, and I can remember almost every coach I had teaching propper technicque as far as tackling even back then.  While there is more of an emphasis in training, it isn't like no one knew how to tackle with your head up previously.  I also get that refs are given directive to enforce rules to reduce the number of big hits.  Here's the thing, it only takes one of those hits on your kid to make the difference.  See my post above about the concussions to my kid.  One was due to what I consider an idiot coach (you don't get to choose your coaches in high school), and the other to an illegal hit that was called in the game.  The penalty, unfortunately, does not undo the damage caused by the hit.

Throw on top of that the lower the level of play, the lower the quality of coach and ref you are going to get on average, which reduces the safety a good coach and consistent referring offers to the kids playing.

All that said, football was my favorite sport to play.  There is nothing like a Friday night on the sideline.  I just wish there was a magic bullet to ensure safety.  Sadly, there isn't and everyone on the field is at risk on every play potentially.

 

[Ack88]

I love football. Played from age 7 through high school. No matter how you cut it- all the research supports the notion that football is dangerous.I understand that youth organizations have done great work surrounding proper technique and applaud those efforts. Nonetheless, even with the best training and coaching, there are too many violent collisions that lead to brain injury, so my son won't play. 

 

[Jayrod]

The problem with football (not necessarily unique to football though) is that an individual player playing with proper technique cannot insulate himself from the dangerous contact from other players.

I grew up playing in the 80s, and I can remember almost every coach I had teaching proper technique as far as tackling even back then.  While there is more of an emphasis in training, it isn't like no one knew how to tackle with your head up previously.  I also get that refs are given directive to enforce rules to reduce the number of big hits.  Here's the thing, it only takes one of those hits on your kid to make the difference.  See my post above about the concussions to my kid.  One was due to what I consider an idiot coach (you don't get to choose your coaches in high school), and the other to an illegal hit that was called in the game.  The penalty, unfortunately, does not undo the damage caused by the hit.

Throw on top of that the lower the level of play, the lower the quality of coach and ref you are going to get on average, which reduces the safety a good coach and consistent referring offers to the kids playing.

All that said, football was my favorite sport to play.  There is nothing like a Friday night on the sideline.  I just wish there was a magic bullet to ensure safety.  Sadly, there isn't and everyone on the field is at risk on every play potentially.

Teaching proper technique and enforcing proper technique are two different things.  Targeting is now an automatic DQ in college and HS football where as it used to get a high five and make the highlight reel.  Things are vastly different and it is fleshing out at the lower levels.

Idiot coaches who teach dangerous tactics are also being run out of town because schools are scared of being sued.  Football is coached and played differently than it was even 10 years ago.

 

[RedmondLonghorn]

I am firmly against my kids playing non-American football.

 

[[scooter]]

However, the youth leagues now pound proper blocking and tackling techniques into the players from the beginning.  No dropping the head but see what you block/tackle.  Use your shoulders, get your head to the side and wrap up.  There is always going to be risk in every sport and football is making a concerted effort to decrease the risk moving forward.

Can we please stop with the "there's risk in everything" red herring? It's starting to sound like Motorcycle Guy, Anti-Seat-Belt Guy, Pit Bull Guy, etc.

 

[RedmondLonghorn]

Can we please stop with the "there's risk in everything" red herring? It's starting to sound like Motorcycle Guy, Anti-Seat-Belt Guy, Pit Bull Guy, etc.

It's factual though.

The CTE issues in the NFL are horrifying. And it is sure to cause some discomfort, at a minimum, for those of us that watch the NFL and care at all about the fate of the people who play the game. But extrapolating the results of studies of NFL players to HS or even youth football strikes me as a bit of a stretch. More than a bit, actually.

Head injuries like concussions need to be handled very carefully, but it isn't like they only occur in football. They occur in all contact sports and even in sports that aren't really contact sports (soccer, baseball, basketball).

 

[[scooter]]

Can we please stop with the "there's risk in everything" red herring? It's starting to sound like Motorcycle Guy, Anti-Seat-Belt Guy, Pit Bull Guy, etc.

It's factual though.

The CTE issues in the NFL are horrifying. And it is sure to cause some discomfort, at a minimum, for those of us that watch the NFL and care at all about the fate of the people who play the game. But extrapolating the results of studies of NFL players to HS or even youth football strikes me as a bit of a stretch. More than a bit, actually.

Head injuries like concussions need to be handled very carefully, but it isn't like they only occur in football. They occur in all contact sports and even in sports that aren't really contact sports (soccer, baseball, basketball).

Of course it's factual. Just like it's factual that some people have been killed by seat belts or small dogs.

 

[RedmondLonghorn]

Of course it's factual. Just like it's factual that some people have been killed by seat belts or small dogs.

This smacks of false equivalency to me.

Certainly youth football poses a risk of concussions that is greater than the risk of death from a small dog. Just as certainly, playing football as a youth and perhaps through high school poses far less risk of long term debilitating brain trauma than doing those things, plus playing in college and in the NFL.

 

[Bull Dozier]

Teaching proper technique and enforcing proper technique are two different things.  Targeting is now an automatic DQ in college and HS football where as it used to get a high five and make the highlight reel.  Things are vastly different and it is fleshing out at the lower levels.

Idiot coaches who teach dangerous tactics are also being run out of town because schools are scared of being sued.  Football is coached and played differently than it was even 10 years ago.

Come back to me when it gets to the point that no one is ever disqualified, or penalized in any way for an illegal hit.

I get what you are saying, but that doesn't change the fact that dangerous hits still exist.

 

[[scooter]]

Of course it's factual. Just like it's factual that some people have been killed by seat belts or small dogs.

This smacks of false equivalency to me.

Certainly youth football poses a risk of concussions that is greater than the risk of death from a small dog. Just as certainly, playing football as a youth and perhaps through high school poses far less risk of long term debilitating brain trauma than doing those things, plus playing in college and in the NFL.

Yes there is a false equivalency. But it's not between football and small dogs; it's between football and other sports.

The risk of permanent brain damage from football is SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER than any other sport*. Let's stop pretending that this isn't a fact. That's why the whole "there's risk everywhere" argument is such a red herring. Yes there is risk everywhere -- BUT NOT ALL RISK IS THE SAME. Just like not all dogs are the same, just like not all vehicles are the same, etc., etc.

 

[RedmondLonghorn]

Yes there is a false equivalency. But it's not between football and small dogs; it's between football and other sports.

The risk of permanent brain damage from football is SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER than any other sport. Let's stop pretending that this isn't a fact. That's why the whole "there's risk everywhere" argument is such a red herring. Yes there is risk everywhere -- BUT NOT ALL RISK IS THE SAME. Just like not all dogs are the same, just like not all vehicles are the same, etc., etc.

If you are talking about playing it from the time you are 8 years old until you are in your late 20s or 30s (NFL career), then that is absolutely factual.

If you are talking about playing as a youth and perhaps through high school, I think there is scant evidence of that.

CTE isn't solely caused by concussions, clearly, but if you look at the incidence of concussions in youth sports as a proxy for the danger of long term brain injuries, then football isn't even the riskiest sport. Rugby is far riskier and hockey appears to be riskier as well. 

 

[[scooter]]

Yes there is a false equivalency. But it's not between football and small dogs; it's between football and other sports.

The risk of permanent brain damage from football is SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER than any other sport. Let's stop pretending that this isn't a fact. That's why the whole "there's risk everywhere" argument is such a red herring. Yes there is risk everywhere -- BUT NOT ALL RISK IS THE SAME. Just like not all dogs are the same, just like not all vehicles are the same, etc., etc.

If you are talking about playing it from the time you are 8 years old until you are in your late 20s or 30s (NFL career), then that is absolutely factual.

If you are talking about playing as a youth and perhaps through high school, I think there is scant evidence of that.

CTE isn't solely caused by concussions, clearly, but if you look at the incidence of concussions in youth sports as a proxy for the danger of long term brain injuries, then football isn't even the riskiest sport. Rugby is far riskier and hockey appears to be riskier as well. 

I was comparing football to other sports played by the vast majority of high schools in America. But I'm fine with including hockey and rugby on the list of dangerous sports that cause parents to seriously consider whether to allow their children to participate.

As for scant evidence, we've got guys in this very thread who only played up to high school level and now suffer from migraines and other head issues. How many "played basketball or baseball through high school" guys can say the same?

 

[RedmondLonghorn]

I was comparing football to other sports played by the vast majority of high schools in America. But I'm fine with including hockey and rugby on the list of dangerous sports that cause parents to seriously consider whether to allow their children to participate.

As for scant evidence, we've got guys in this very thread who only played up to high school level and now suffer from migraines and other head issues. How many "played basketball or baseball through high school" guys can say the same?

My wife has migraines. She never played football.

Anecdotal evidence isn't really that useful.

 

[Jayrod]

The issue isn't risk, but increased levels of risk.  "How risk tolerant are we?" is the true question.  If we want to go anecdotal, the only concussion I ever suffered was a head to head collision in a basketball game as an 7th grader.  Clearly there is increased risk of brain injury from basketball.  I also got hit in the mouth with a line drive practicing baseball when I was 13.  The only thing that saved my teeth was my new braces.  Clearly there is increased risk of brain injury from baseball.

So what it boils down to is how much increased risk involved and acceptable and that is where the debate lies.  I'm arguing the increased risk of a boy playing tackle football from ages 10-18 is much less than it used to be and is within an acceptable level on par with other common sports.  Some people disagree.

According to this study, "Among athletes ages 5 to 14, 28 percent of percent of football players, 25 percent of baseball players, 22 percent of soccer players, 15 percent of basketball players, and 12 percent of softball players were injured while playing their respective sports."

 

[Hot Diggity Dog]

So at the danger of being a little less than manly, and since we're talking about other sports, the fact that little league and young travel baseball doesn't have face masks 4 defensive players mildly shocks me. My daughter's play high levels of competitive softball and there's virtually no player that doesn't wear a protective face mask. I'm not sure why the girls get to have protection for their face and none of the boys are expected to. Face masks are not mandatory at any level of softball but are certainly approved of and accepted. I went and watched one of my nephews sons playing at the coach pitch level and there is a lot of near near misses for teeth. I think my daughter has as a pitcher has pitched but maybe one inning where she didn't have face mask and a heart guard on.

 

[Eminence]

Absolutely.

 

[Good Posting Judge]

Hard no.

I think rugby and boxing (at an amateur level w/ headgear) are closer calls, but football is absurdly dangerous.

 

[Galileo]

Hard no.

I think rugby and boxing (at an amateur level w/ headgear) are closer calls, but football is absurdly dangerous.

Oh come on.  A sport whose sole goal is to beat the crap out of the other guy in hopes of a knock out is a better choice than football??  I acknowledge the dangers of football, and as I said, I wouldn't hold it against anyone for choosing to not let their child participate, but I find this absurd.

 

[Good Posting Judge]

Oh come on.  A sport whose sole goal is to beat the crap out of the other guy in hopes of a knock out is a better choice than football??  I acknowledge the dangers of football, and as I said, I wouldn't hold it against anyone for choosing to not let their child participate, but I find this absurd.

Do you realize the differences between amateur and professional boxing?

 

[[scooter]]

Oh come on.  A sport whose sole goal is to beat the crap out of the other guy in hopes of a knock out is a better choice than football??  I acknowledge the dangers of football, and as I said, I wouldn't hold it against anyone for choosing to not let their child participate, but I find this absurd.

There are risks involved with any sport.

 

[Galileo]

Do you realize the differences between amateur and professional boxing?

Yes.  Do you realize the difference in youth football and the NFL?

 

[the moops]

 In my personal experience, I received worse injuries in basketball and baseball than I ever did in football.

What are the chances that any of those injuries are going to cause short term memory loss, or depression, or suicidal thoughts, or....

 

[Good Posting Judge]

Yes.  Do you realize the difference in youth football and the NFL?

Absolutely. 

And saying its a "close call", that's having done 0 research on either rugby on amateur boxing, those are just two examples that I think might be on the borderline, or might be interesting to debate. Youth tackle football is a pretty clear no-go unless you have no regard for your kid's safety or well-being.

 

[Galileo]

Absolutely. 

And saying its a "close call", that's having done 0 research on either rugby on amateur boxing, those are just two examples that I think might be on the borderline, or might be interesting to debate. Tackle football, youth or otherwise, is a pretty clear no-go unless you have no regard for your kid's safety or well-being.

I guess now I should be arrested for child endangerment.

 

[RedmondLonghorn]

Absolutely. 

And saying its a "close call", that's having done 0 research on either rugby on amateur boxing, those are just two examples that I think might be on the borderline, or might be interesting to debate. Youth tackle football is a pretty clear no-go unless you have no regard for your kid's safety or well-being.

The data I saw indicates that youth level rugby as about 8x the incidence of concussions that football does.