The Benefits Of Youth Football

Children who participate in sports are less likely to be overweight or obese, have higher self-esteem on average, and are generally more invested in their academics. Sports are oftentimes seen as a gateway to academic opportunity, particularly for kids with fewer resources. While this logic is inherently problematic, it is true that high schoolers who were involved with organized sport were more likely to be enrolled in college later on. Youth sports also give children a place to develop socially by teaching them about teamwork, leadership, and compromise. Team sports in particular can provide children with a sense of belonging to a group, and therefore increase their self-esteem and improve their social competence. There are dozens of reasons why youth sport is important and beneficial to a child’s development, and with millions of participants each year in the United States alone, it doesn’t look like youth sports will be going anywhere anytime

Is tackle football too dangerous for kids who aren’t even fully developed? Back then, when it came to sports, safety was never one of the main concerns. For example, baseball was played for over half a century without requiring helmets. Recently, society has started to worry about future generations and whether some activities will have long-lasting effects on them, such as football. Although many are advocates for safety, others are arguing that kids should be able to play what they want. While tackle football has been proven to be detrimental to the youth’s health, especially for children under the age of 13, critics have questioned and discussed whether other sports are going to be next and how they can possibly prevent football’s future modifications.

42 percent polled say it is appropriate for children to begin playing tackle football younger than age 14. Parents are starting to hold their kids out of football and other sports which is keeping them from learning the game and learning social skills early in life. Youth sports have been a part of many kids’ lives for as long as the sports have existed. Youth sports keep kids active and helps them get out of the house. Youth sports help kids develop social skills at a young age and they gain a better understanding of the game. As a result, youth sports are important parts in kids’ lives because they help kids develop social skills and they help them get a better understanding of the game, even though there are some safety issues.

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.

​Another reason, and perhaps the most pertinent, as to why youth tackle football should be banned is because it puts young kids at risk for a plethora of injuries – some of which have the potential to affect them for the rest of their lives. As stated earlier in this paper, a total of 1.23 million youth ages 6-12 played tackle football in 2015 (Farrey, 2016). In 2007, more than 920,000 athletes under the age of 18 were treated in emergency rooms, doctors’ offices, and clinics for football-related injuries, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (Levine, Owens, 2016). Ten years later, that number has since doubled and continues to slowly increase. Some of the most common injuries seen in youth football include traumatic knee injuries such as ACL/PCL tears and damage to the cartilage of the knee, shoulder injuries such as damage to the cartilage surrounding the socket of the shoulder, concussions, back pain from overuse, and heat stroke, and complications related to dehydration (Levine, Owens, 2016). Many youth football players also must deal with broken bones and torn ligaments (Levine, Owens, 2016). With the amount of injuries these young athletes are at risk of getting, it’s amazing that parents even let their children play football at all (Levine, Owens, 2016). Although

Did you know 66% of boys between the ages of 5-18 years old play an organized sport? Over 550,000 boys participate in basketball for a school sponsored team in the U.S, ranked in the top 5 most played sports in the U.S. by youth is baseball/ teeball and last but not least football is played among young boys with more than 1 million interscholastic participants. If I were asked if I were to allow my son to play football I will say yes, because it promotes teamwork, keeps children busy (out of trouble) and it is a safe sport.

Each year in the United States, more than 36 million school-aged children participate in an “organized sport” (“Youth Sports Statistics”). Especially over the past few years, many studies have proved or disproved the idea that sports are beneficial for young kids. Those studies have found that youth sports have both positive and negative effects on young children, and research shows parents and coaches have the greatest effect on a child’s experience.

Sports can be viewed as a learning environment that helps individuals learn life lessons, foster strong work habits and develop core values all the while learning a sport skill. Youth sports that truly benefit young athletes should be structured to emphasize participation more than just competition. Children enjoy a sport more when they are able to have fun (Humpries). Despite many excesses some sport programs still manage to promote important virtues like self- confidence, teamwork, personal responsibility, coping skills, and persistence. Through sports kids can learn to stay organized and learn how to prioritize (Ferguson). Sports enables development of physical skills and increasing proficiency makes kids feel good about themselves. It teaches kids that failure is something to overcome and and not to fear (Meyerhoff 8-9). Youth sports has many aspects that are truly benefiting for children, but these benefits are slowly being clouded by the negatives that are prominent in today's youth sports.

Football is a sport known for the excitement it brings to the audience and to the players. This sport is being played around the country professionally, and throughout colleges and high schools. With all the tackling, screaming, touchdowns, and energy football produces, people either love the sport or find it to be too dangerous. Many people who believe football to be a dangerous sport especially fears the danger it puts high school students in. The concern of young lives being at stake just to be a part of a sport makes numerous people question football in high schools. What those people don’t realize though, is that football in high schools is an amazing opportunity for young men (and in some cases young women) to prepare for life and the trials it comes with. Playing football in high school will teach young men to learn to have a great work ethic, make quick decisions to better not only themselves but the others around them, and give them a chance to get athletic scholarships for colleges.

Many parents fear their children playing football because of possible concussions or later being diagnosed with CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy). Although there could be slight changes in football young children should absolutely be allowed to play because football is a part of the American culture and could benefit the young players in many ways. Football can help a child become physically fit as well as teaching the player(s) life time skills that can help them in their bright futures such as leadership, sportsmanship, ambition etc.

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 main reason football should be banned is because of the high risk of receiving a concussion. A concussion is known as a brain injury caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head that disrupts the brain’s normal function. When receiving a serious strike to the head, the brain is violently shaken around, continuously bumping the skull. Football is a direct contact sport. The players are all at risk of getting tackled, whether it is during practices or games. Although most coaches and teams have certain regulations against tackling, players continue to go against these rules. According to the Head Case Company, an average of 33% of concussions in football occur during practices. The source also states

The first reason why I would let my child play football is because it promotes health. Football is a physically demanding sport where you need strength, agility, endurance, and hand-eye coordination. In an article by Steve Silverman titles “What Are the Health Benefits of Being a

Dating back to 1892, a new threshold in American sports history was achieved. The Allegheny Athletic Association had defeated the Pittsburgh Athletic Club. More importantly, William Heffelfinger was paid $500 to participate on the AAA team, thus birthing Professional Football. As the years passed, American Football has seen an exponential progression, including the introduction of children’s football associations. While there is a numerous group of parents who have no problem with their child being involved in football, recent revelations would begin to grow concern in some. It is because of this we must ask, should parents disallow their children from participating in football, or should they focus on the more positive benefits that the organized sport could have?

Since the creation of man, sports have had a tremendous role in the way people live their lives. From the time we are born, until our elderly age, most of us are involved in some way with sports. Whether it is a scrimmage game of soccer at recess in elementary school, playing on the varsity athletic team or simply watching the Olympics or sporting events on television, sports have an influential role in our everyday lives. The outstanding popularity of the sports industry has profoundly affected youth sports organizations that an estimated twenty-six million children ages six through eighteen participate in at least one school or community based athletic program (Smith & Smoll, 1997). Well structured sport programs can provide youths with