Football, one of the most popular sports in the U.S., is also the most dangerous; it holds an astounding half a million injuries nationally due to the sheer violence and brute strength used against another player in the sport, and, although it is believed that these injuries can be prevented, there is nothing stopping another player from recklessly hurting another except their will-power, this is why football should be banned from high schools.
One reason, out of many, that football should be banned from high school is because it can, eventually, cause C.T.E. – a head-trauma-induced disease that causes impulse-control problems, memory loss, and dementia. C.T.E. is a problem because it can cause someone to commit suicide; how one acquires this
Are young children putting their health and even their lives at risk if they partake in the sport of football? Some claim that the American sport is far too dangerous and the risk of concussions and injuries far outway the pros of the physical sport, while others insist that technological improvements and new regulations have made the sport safer. Jonathan Zimmerman, a professor of history and education at New York University, argues in his paper, “We Must Stop Risking the Health of Young Football Players,” that football is a sport that is too dangerous for the youth. He states his belief that technological improvements in helmets and changes in the rules of the sport have had little effect on reducing injuries and that nothing has worked.
As explained early on in this article, football can cause several physical and mental injuries either instantly or in the near future. This is due to the constantly tackling, hitting, and screaming from all the players and coaches. Because of these intense actions, football can increase the chance of dementia-like symptoms in players. This was examined by Ann Mckee, a neuropathologist, who ran several tests in the Veterans Hospital
Football is an extremely violent game not only in the physical part but also in the mental part of the game. Players are coach to be vicious on the field. they are taught to get mad and take their aggression out on the other player. Which can be dangerous when two or more players are trying to hurt(intentionally or not) the other player by hitting them hard. High school sports are dangerous because rese...
Not many sports are as physically demanding on the human body as football. The physical toll that football players pay is almost impossible to comprehend unless one has actually played the sport for a significant amount of time. However, until recently any connection between the hits taken by football players and their health down the road was largely ignored. A common, yet difficult injury to detect in football is a concussion, the most common traumatic brain injury (Pearce). A concussion is defined as “a brain injury that is caused by a sudden blow to the head or the body. The blow shakes the brain inside the skull, which temporarily prevents the brain from working normally” (Heiner pa.5). Reports and studies have surfaced shedding light on just how much damage is inflicted upon the brain due to crippling hits. These studies suggest that NFL athletes who received concussions suffered lasting damage to the brain, which opens the gate to a multitude of other health issues such as dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and clinical depression (Pearce). This is an aspect of the game that not many are aware of and it is a serous issue that needs to be dealt with sooner rather than later. There have been too many heartbreaking stories such as that of Justin Strzelcyk who heard voices and died in a crash while fleeing police or that of Andre Waters who shot himself in the head after struggles with depression (Zarda pa.1). Many current and former players are suffering in silence; this shouldn’t be the case. The National Football League needs to extend a hand to former players debilitated by head injuries. The problem of concussions and other head injuries in the NFL is one that needs to be tackled head on.
Since football’s inception, it has been considered a manly sport. Young boys have been encouraged by their parents to participate in the game. For many boys, it is considered a rite of passage. However, football is a dangerous sport. A study conducted by the Center for Injury Research and Policy found, “an estimated 5.25 million football-related injuries among children and adolescents between 6 and 17 years of age were treated in U.S. emergency departments between 1990 and 2007. The annual number of football-related injuries increased 27 percent during the 18-year study period, jumping from 274,094 in 1990 to 346,772 in 2007” (Nation 201). These reported injuries include sprains and strains, broken bones, cracked ribs, torn ligaments, and concussions. A concussion usually happens when a player takes a hard hit to the head or is knocked unconscious on the playing field, and if not diagnosed and treated quickly, a concussion can result in death.
High school football may be dangerous but it is also a life altering experience. From what these boys can do out on the field to what they can become in life and all the things they can accomplish, putting it in peoples head that it is a dangerous sport is ridiculous. Yes, football can cause some serious injury but those chances aren’t very high and what are these boys going to get out of life if they never take that risk? Then end up asking themselves, “what if?” These boys should not let anything get in the way of what they want to do because even if they fail
If there are many injury reports then the sport has to be pretty dangerous. “Based on almost 1,900 injury reports submitted to the RIO, the researchers estimate there was 517,726 football-related injuries during the 2005-2006 season at the high school level across the United States.” (High School, College Football Comes With Risk) High school sports are more dangerous because the athletes are still growing. “High school athletes are less physically mature and have less muscle mass than the collegiate athletes, for instance. They also have incomplete growth plates, meaning their bones are still developing.” (High School, College Football Comes With
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
Recently, attention has been brought to American football players on the risks of football due to countless concussions and lifelong health problems caused by blows to the head and improper equipment, therefore, the requirements for the equipment should be updated. Not only has the National Football League been found guilty of not realizing it, but the doctors and sports trainers have also. Head trauma early in life can greatly affect you later down the road. Head trauma is nine times out of ten, not curable. Therefore, it is greatly life threatening. Although football is a great pastime sport, it comes with many risks and health issues.
As can be seen by the preceding information, high school athletics can have a positive impact on a student’s life. In contrast to the positives, high school athletics can be seen in a negative light. “Concussions [from athletics] cause structural brain damage” (Solotaroff 7). Even though nobody is said to get a concussion in Friday Night Lights, they are very frequent in football and in other sports today. They occur all the time in football.
Not only do we know the effects of playing football at a young age, we also have real life stories that have occured to real people. For example, In 2006 a 13 year old named Zachary Lystatdt’s head hit the ground in a routine tackle. He was in pain, so the coach took him out of the game for two plays. He returned to the game and on the last play he collapsed. Zachary was rushed to the hospital and was required to have emergency neurosurgery. After this life changing surgery, 9 months later he was finally able to communicate. Now, he is still learning how to walk (Hamblin, James. “Football Alters the Brains of Kids as Young as 8.”)This story sets an example of why children should not be able to play contact sports until adulthood. Unfortunately, this is not the only sad story about a child who has had life changing effects from playing
Football, just another method to throw life away. Football is an extremely unsafe sport, yet it is glorified by several in the United States. A plethora of football players are impacted negatively by injuries that may occur just by playing an "innocent" little game of tackle football. It is necessary to consider all the dreadful outcomes that may happen before taking the chance to play. Young individuals shouldn't play tackle football due to the trauma it can cause to the brain, the injuries or occurrences that can lead to a harder life or even death, and it leaves the players to be less sharp in their old age. It is often thought that football is a harmless game for kids to enjoy. Nevertheless, the amount of health issues and injuries that can be caused by football is unbelievable and not worth the risk.
This topic of argument paper is one I can relate with due to the fact that I am a major sports fan. I feel this topic has many factors when deciding on if you think college football should or shouldn’t be banned. With football being a popular sport, most people would be able to easily write an argument paper about this matter.
As a rational, motivated, and sophisticated society, as we learn the ill effects of an action we naturally take action to combat these effects. As we learned of the physiological damages of smoking and alcohol we enacted laws to inhibit their consumption and media campaigns to bring their harm to light – we evolved. As we gained the knowledge necessary to identify links between harm and its cause, we changed and improved. However, we seem to have encountered some evolutionary stagnation when it comes to the link between sports and the head trauma with which they are attached. Why have we not taken every step necessary to inhibit the rampant effects of this disease? At least, the nation has begun to take notice of CTE, its poignant effects, and just how easily it can occur. All levels of the game of football – from youth to professional – are attempting to combat and evolve how the game is played so that we can vastly
The first reason football is absolutely unsafe is because they’re have been fatal injuries through all levels of football critics often argue that injuries are apart of life and most people get injured in their lifetime however, those injuries can lead to fatal situations in the future. For example, Scott Hallenbeck said even if he had a young son he still wouldn’t let him play football because of the risk of injury. If a kid gets too many concussions he’ll eventually either end up ending all their sports careers or end up having CTE. CTE can develop from the repetitive hits that are an unavoidable part of football.