Lessons Learned From Injury

High school sports are an important aspect of a young person’s life because it could decide their college, careers, and determine their social circle. High school football is a time where a fellowship occurs, not only with students, but the community also. There is on going issues with contact sports such as should there be rule changes or eliminate the game completely because of head injuries occurring too often. The problem is deciding whether the risks of playing these sports are worth it in the end. Are the risks of football worth the entertainment or should should football be banned for safety reasons? Doctor Anne McKey stated that if anything, we should have rule changes and equipment changes because it’s not worth the risk (CNN, 2012).

Youth sports are being questioned by the public as being too intense. One of the reasons for this is that sport specialization is up to a record high 25 percent(Sirs). This means that one in every four people are only playing one sport which can lead to injuries and psychological issues. Another issue is injuries in youth sports. Most specifically football is being researched intensely for head injuries that can hurt the children for the rest of their lives. Even though some believe that youth sport programs should be less intense they still believe that all sports are helping the youth grow up to be leaders for the next generation. Although many believe youth sports programs

Competitive sports in some cases are becoming very unhealthy for children. Most children would rather play on a losing team than sit on the bench of a winning team. Youth sports are a great idea to get children up and active, as well as improve their social skills. Just like every other thing in life it is important to practice and work hard to achieve success. However it is unhealthy to push for results over the needs or wants of the child. Aside from the mental stress that young athletes may experience from intense training and physical play long lasting injures is now a growing concern. Fact is competitive sports is a double edge sword if done right it is the greatest thing world, but if done wrong it can be very unhealthy for a child.

On the other hand, others believe that children should be allowed to participate in contact sports during their high school career if they please to do so. One reason is that people claim that sports equipment is developing to become safer. Experts agree that, "Equipment innovations in energy dispersing pads, telemedicine and technology to reduce brain cavitation inside the skull- known as "brain slosh"- will enhance the safety for young athletes." However, the game is also evolving. It is just a matter of fact of which evolves faster, but ask yourself if you can take that chance. The younger generation is said to be our future. People claim that football builds character

There’s no doubt that concussions in football has become a major problem, not just for the professional athletes, but for kids of all ages from age 8 to 19. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has shown that concussion have doubled in the last decade and The American Academy of Pediatrics says that, “emergency room visits for concussions in children ages 8 to 13 years old has doubled, and concussions have risen 200 percent among teens ages 14 to 19 in the last decade” (Keith Dunlap, The Oakland Press). This shows that the seriousness of concussions is not just an issue at a pro level but an issue throughout all levels of play. The risk is definitely present when you play football but it shouldn’t stop parents from letting their children participate in the sport. Playing organized sports such as football isn’t just a place to get injured, it’s a place where your children can learn the importance of teamwork, sportsmanship, toughness, competitiveness, they learn succeed, and also they learn about failure. The parents who don’t allow their children to play sports don’t let their kids learn about these important lessons of organized sports. Football is also a way for kids to take their anger and struggles out in the game and help them express themselves. It can also be a way for kids in bad situations to get a way out, to try and reach the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Statsky specifies that sports played from six to twelve years of age could have long-term negative and degrading effects in terms of health and the interest and attitude towards the sport for the child as both a player and a fan. Statsky states many reasons for her opinion, which include the risk for physical and psychological harm, and parents who are more worried about their child winning rather than participating in the game. In my opinion, I agree with the argument made by the author that competitive sports encourage children to engage in physical actions. Some of the sports activities are most thrilling and energetic. Players, driven by the desire to win are likely to act in a careless way causing physical injuries. Hence, young children are at great risk of sustaining injuries in the course of competitive sports. Though in football injuries are common, instances of injuries for 12 year olds are severe since the body structure of these children has not developed fully. Competitive sports have two results, either a loser or a

Young children having major physical injuries while participating in sports should be of more concern. In the article High School Football Comes With a Risk, by Jeffrey Perkel it states that, “...boys aged 10 to 14 we’re most likely to end up in the nation’s emergency departments with a traumatic brain injury…,” This shows how adolescents are unnecessarily hurting themselves because of these sports. Expectedly, during the 2005-2006 US high school football season an , estimate of 517, 726 injuries were submitted to the RIO. Even my own personal experiences with sports all ended in tragic faults. Swimming with

Every wondered how dangerous a simple sport like Football can be ? I’m sure you’ve seen it at least once on your Television. I’m sure you once thought to yourself how awesome it is to have a career where you can be paid millions to chase around a ball in front of a camera. I’m sure you believe that those football players are living the life, But do you really know the true price they’re paying ? Imagine your son/daughter asks you to allow them to join their school’s football team, Who wouldn’t want a star athlete kid right ! Wrong. I’m positive you believe that the thick armor and helmets they wear are enough to protect them from any serious internal and external injuries right ? You’re wrong again. Wanna know a secret ? Those helmets don’t protect your child against any Concussions at all. According to David Camarillo’s TED Talk titled

Players of the modernized Nation Football League are tremendously bigger, faster, and stronger than they once were. Taken from the Current Events of the Weekly Reader Corporation, the article “Hit Men” explains, “one reason concussions are becoming more severe and frequent in the NFL is that the average size of the players is increasing.” The physical expectation set by the NFL constantly pushes these athletes to achieve their most preeminent physical state. Although this “survival of the fittest” notion may sound encouraging, the result is seen in the amount of concussion numbers increasing over the years. However, this necessity to greater themselves can be seen on both sides of the argument. Jeb Golinkin, the author of “Why Parents Should Let Their Kids Play Dangerous Sports” acknowledges how “between the lines, our children learn the importance of teamwork, sportsmanship, toughness, and competitiveness”(11). The qualities attained through contact sports are essential in order to make it in todays working world, not to mention how valuable they are in managing interpersonal relationships. With that being said the argument could be made that these life skills could be learned elsewhere. Sports like baseball and volleyball both offer the opportunity to learn these qualities and many other skills, without the same risks football imposes on its players. Overall, although football

“The overall injury rate in NCAA football is 8.1 injuries per 1,000 athlete exposures. There were more than 41,000 injuries and 25 million athlete exposures.” There are more than twice the injuries in football than there are in basketball. This will continue to rise if the NFL, NCAA, and all schools around the world don’t take initiative to protect their players. Many people believe that football should be readjusted to where injuries are no more. However, injuries will happen no matter how protected the player is, which is why some people want the sport to be banned for good. In the article “The 5 most dangerous sports for boys”, Lauren Shanley states, “It’s estimated that every year, doctors treat 389,000 musculoskeletal injuries in players ages five to

Families love the fact of their kids playing a sport, making friends, doing well in school. They rather the kids be in a sport then out here on the streets. But as a parent you think of the good and the bad outcomes to playing sports. Especially the mothers, a father knows and he expects his son to be tough and never quit. So to the father it’s just a simple sport but is it worth losing your son to something as serious as this injury. A mother not knowing the sport, she still feels there are some down falls to the sport but never thinks twice about it happening to her kid in particular. Families who will never get their sons

Football is a rough sport. Many fans of the game watch it for the hard hits. These hard hits and the potential for injury is part of what makes the game so exciting. Some people say that football is too brutal and should be banned. Parents all over the United States don’t allow their children to play because of the risk of head injuries. Others allow their sons, and every now and then their daughters, to play and risk injury for a chance to earn a college scholarship and for a small percentage of players, the chance to play in the National Football League (NFL).

The beloved American sport that consists of tackling others to the ground and trying to make a touchdown to lead the team to victory has become too dangerous to play. We let our children play the risky sport at a young age and think it is just for fun. Meanwhile, they are falling in love with the game and soon will develop dreams of playing in the big league. At that point it is too late, just as some families were too late when their football player get a concussion on the field, grow old with Alzheimer's disease, or even CTE, the chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Although America is aware of the issue, the sport is continuing to ruin lives.

“Why Parents Should Let Their Kids Play Dangerous Sports” is a persuasive essay written by Jeb Golinkin expressing the risks and injuries that occur in many sports. However, Golinkin also expresses the necessity of sports and how they help teach teamwork, sportsmanship, toughness, and competiveness only learned from collective team sports. “…Powerful athletic enterprises has very real costs for the participants who deliver the thrills” (Paragraph 2, Line 7-8) is part of a statement from Golinkin where he is establishing that injuries are a fact when participating in sports. He states a couple of particular events in the history of sports where injuries have caused permanent injuries and even death. The cases of serious injuries were expressed and had heartfelt concern behind them in his report, however, he defends these dangerous sports by further stating benefits that are gained from participation. There is a quote from Barack Obama where he expresses his a strong opinion on football by saying, “If I had a son, I’d have to think long and hard before I let him play football.” (Paragraph 6, Line 2-3) Golinkin finalizes his opinion in his conclusion by explaining that he believes one’s child should be able to make their own decision to play sports.

Football is America’s most popular sport; however, recently controversy has been arising pertaining to the injuries and violence connected to football. Within the last five years the topic of allowing youth to play football has blown up. Though the injuries vary dramatically, what has really been the key subject is head related injuries, typically concussions. Parents around the country are debating whether or not their children should play the sport, specifically contact football. Although football and most sports in general have injury related risks attached with it, there are still arguments why kids around the country should be able to enjoy one of the most liked sports. Reasons such as building teamwork, physical activity and free will can lead to why many believe that there should not be a dispute regarding football.