Football has been around for decades, and in that time changes have been made to make the game safer, but still captivating. The recent controversies about concussions have brought up some debates about the safety, and future of football. A lot of people in poverty look towards college sports as a way out(Burleigh, 612). An example is Michael Oher, the person from Blindside, who grew up on the streets, but found a new family and became and NFL star, making an average salary of $770,000 a year(Burleigh, 611-612) . Not saying there is no risk in it, but football is not as dangerous as people think. The number of football death at each level have dropped to five a year; where as previously in the 1960’s about 20 people died from brain related injuries(Flynn, 622). …show more content…
A lot of changes has been made since the creation of the game; like making helmets mandatory, improving the quality of helmets, and banning crown-of-the-helmet blows in the open field in order to protect the head and amount of punishment from the hit(Banks, 606). They even started implement changes in the lower levels of the game. Pop Warner have prohibited full-speed hits , limit contact drills to one-third of practice, and hand out penalties for tackling with the head(Burleigh, 613). Along with that the youth learn lessons that couldn’t be learned anywhere else. Like the importance of team-work, sportsmanship,toughness and competitiveness, which helps in the complacent world we live in(Golinkin, 617-618). Along with these essential lessons, athletes live longer than their male counterparts in American society. The study looked at 3,434 men who played for five years or longer in the league from 1959, and 1993 and discovered 334 deaths. Results mirrored stats against among Norm-Americans show 625 deaths. Plus pro-players have lower rates of heart disease and cancer(Flynn,
Playing football comes with great costs, including physical and mental health deterioration, plus the amount of time spent prepping before game day. Which can pose several questions, “Why suffer for a game, is it worth the money? Is it worth the fame? How great is the cost?” I believe that football, should have stricter regulations for the treatment of injuries, along with informing players of just how devastating a concussion can be, along with the other major injuries that commonly occur while playing football.
In the article “Should Kids Play Football” from the Scholastic Scope on February 2015, writer Jennifer Shotz discusses both issues of the benefits and dangers of playing American football. For example, Jennifer Shots mentioned that tens of thousands of young football players get concussions every year. She states that most players return to the game after they are healed but some never return because their concussion was too severe to their health. On the other hand, the writer also discusses how football isn't the only sport that encounters concussions. The rules of football are always changing and each new rule provides a safer way to play the game. For example, the writer notes that Pop Warner has reduced the amount of practice time dedicated
First, the rules that are enforced are a great way of making the game safe for the players. There are rules like, not being allowed to tackle certain ways. For example, if you tackle someone from the back by pulling them, then that is said to be an illegal tackle. It is also said that it is illegal for someone to pull on others facemask when tackling. There are many others rules that are enforced in the game. Another one is the rule that says, Head to Head is not allowed. What that basically is that you cannot tackle someone by contacting your helmet to the opposing player. This rule makes it greatly safe because it reduces the numbers of injuries that occur to the head and the neck. The head is the key part of the human body. When someone hits another player with the helmet in the head, it reduces the risks of concussion and that can result to serious and severe body failures, including being...
For the safety of the players in the present and future, a stricter concussion protocol should be required at all levels of football. Though improvements have been made, the game of football is constantly changing and the protocol needs to keep up with the changes. Today’s athletes are bigger, stronger, and faster than ever before: "Size and physical conditioning techniques in sports at all levels have evolved to create an intense athlete. They 're able to create more force, power and speed than ever before and that leads to harder hits and a greater number of hits" (Neporent). These advances in training have led to a more dangerous sport. The protocol has improved in recent years along with an emphasis on player safety, but the increasing numbers of players with long-term effects of concussions show there is still work to be done.
Mihoces, Gary. “More padding the issue of concussions and better helmets.” USA Today Sports. 23 August 2013. Web. 29 November 2013.
The number of concussions in professional and amateur football has been rising and has sparked much controversy in recent years. These concussions are most likely linked with disease and even the deaths of some pro and semi-pro football players. New research is attempting to solve the problem but the issue is still prevalent in football today.
Concussions occur regularly on the football field and have always been an injury associated with football. They occur at all levels from little league to the NFL. One of the earliest reported concussion...
Football is one of the most popular sports in the world. It is played in a lot of different ways, fashions, and other countries. It can be a very brutal sport with players hitting at the intent to hurt one another. With these intents come great consequences. In recent years the head injuries involved with this brutal game play have been getting uncomfortably high. Many rules have had to be enforced for player safety, because of the increase of head injuries resulting in tragic effects on players both old and new. One of the injuries that have had the most devastating effects is the concussion.
While the use of helmets does aid in protecting players from brain trauma, they also increase the risky behavior of players; this is called risk compensation. Risk compensation is the adjustment of individual behavior, responding to the perceived changes in risk (TheFreeDictionary.com). Most people that wear helmets have a pre-conceived idea that, because they have a helmet on, they can possess more daring behaviors and be fine. The helmet is basically thought of as a tool to hit harder, or improve performance in today’s culture. Adventure writer and pilot, Lane Wallace (2011) accurately understands the dangers of helmets being used incorrectly, and how they are used as weapons instead of safety. Wallace also theorizes like the NFL, a change in football culture and of viewpoints towards helmets would vastly reduce trauma to the
Struggling to maintain consciousness as well as retain my vision after embracing a brutal hit enforced from an opposing player really makes me question the seriousness of football related trauma. How many injuries does it take until it really matters? For me, after having experience with concussions, I came to the realization that the positive externalities of football do not make up for the numerous negative externalities. Football, as well as any other contact sport, can be very dangerous and potentially threatening to a persons overall health and future.
Football is a safe game to play due to the programs that it goes through. Which include concussion awareness, USA football tackle progression, and certified coaching education. Players also get proper hydration, nutrition and the right equipment to protect them.
Brain injuries can play a major role in football. Reoccurring concussions also occur due to these brain injuries, and cause these athletes permanent damage. Trainers and doctors in the medical field diagnose these brain injuries by loss of consciousness, slurred speech, loss of balance, and loss of memory. In football, they could improve the safety of the helmets; improve the rules, or safety regulations in all sports to help prevent concussions.
Once again, after a successful season, Shadle Park was defeated by a Big 9 school in the first game of the regional tournament. This reoccurring event has led many to believe that the four year football program puts GSL students at a disadvantage compared to other districts. A junior high school football program would not only increase the competitiveness of the students but also have more important consequences.
For years now, football has been one of America’s favorite sports. It allows players to show their toughness, and their ability to get back up when knocked down; it has also given parents a way to get their children outside and exercise. In today’s society, many parents think nothing about it and are seemingly oblivious to the risk they are taking every time their children suit up for a game. The risk lies in both the age at which children start playing, and the sheer physicality that comes with playing tackle football; many children starting the sport at an age as young as five years old. Should children be able to play tackle football? Should they have to wait until they are in middle school or high school? Recently, this has become a very
First off, football is debated throught out the world in every house. After concerns about injuries to the brain, the NFL says it is making progress when it comes to keeping players safe. The league has shown that concussion rate has dropped 25% in 2014 from the number in 2013, and hits to the head concussion were down to 28%. Worries in concussions are just part of the reason why parents