Should Young People Be Allowed To Play Tackle Football

Tackle football is a culturally significant and popular sport in America. Many young children feel compelled to mirror the game they see played on television. They are too young to realize the dangers of doing so, and thus it is our duty as a society to keep them from hurting themselves. Young people should not be allowed to play tackle football because it negatively impacts their cognitive development, and can cause a slew of other physical ailments.

According to an article in the Los Angeles Times, former NFL players who began playing tackle football before the age of 12 performed 20 percent worse on cognitive tests. By playing tackle football when under the age of 12, their ability to memorize, organize, and read were all impaired. The article quotes the Boston University Alzheimer Disease Center, which explained that the age of 12 is a landmark year for a male brain’s development. This is especially alarming given that according to the University of Colorado School of Medicine, 70 percent of all football players are under the age of 14, and that players between the ages 9-12 experience on average 240 head impacts per football

season. This danger is so apparent that Chris Borland, a star rookie for the 49ers’ is retiring early to avoid head injuries as an adult. An article in the Associated Press articulated that in spite of having a stellar season, Borland took health as a priority and resigned. Given that the little league trophies are incomparable to an NFL salary, it seems obvious that children shouldn’t be allowed to perform this dangerous activity.
Head injuries are only a small set of a multiplicity of health concerns that arise from underage tackle football.

The National Athletic Trainers’ Association provides statistics on youth sports, one of which being “There are three times as many catastrophic football injuries among high school athletes as college athletes.” Aside from long term effects, there are startling figures pertaining to short term head injuries, being that “15.8% of football players who sustain a concussion severe enough to cause loss of consciousness return to play the same day.”, and that “High school athletes who have been concussed are three times more likely to suffer another concussion in the same season.” Given how prevalent and severe these issues are, it is apparent how eminent this threat to children’s health this practice truly

is.
Possible arguments for children playing tackle football are that it fosters more intense competition, and that it is a tradition. I concede that tackle football is definitely more intense and that it is definitely a part of american culture, however this is no reason to continue practicing it in the face of safety issues. Our main concern for children should be their safety first and foremost, and thus because of the long term developmental and short term imminent repercussions, no social or cultural significance can justify this practice.