"High School Football - Risks?" Topic

My younger son is starting high-school in september, and is thinking of trying out for football. He'll be 16 in January, and is a big beefy lad. Plays competative tennis, played hockey and touch football when 10-13, healthy.

Life has risks, and young men should take some. But I do not know what they are with that sport, and how to keep an eye out for them. Any tips?

Seriously, talk with an MD (Sports Med). Are there risks? yes. Do many play without getting hurt? yes.

Short of the odd knock or strain it shouldn't be too risky as long as he wears shin pads.

…oh..I see…you mean that funny American game where they run about in all the padding…silly me..!

As long as he doesn't tackle people by spearing them in the back with his head most of the risks will be not much greater than for other contact sports. Especially with all the padding.

He could get badly hurt or killed, but the odds are enormously against it.

If it's anything like when I was in High School, he's more likely to get hurt playing football in gym, as they don't wear any equipment.
-Kle.

No more risky than boxing, Australian rugby, and … that's it I think.

I read somewhere that 1/2 of football injuries involved contact with other players and 1/4 involved contact with the ground. So he should try and avoid both.

More seriously this looks like a decent news article.

link

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I have several sports injuries that cause me pain and I'm in my 30's. My advice is know your limits, when you're hurt see a doctor and perform injury prevention in the form of stretching, interval training and weight training. My biggest advice – don't play through the pain. We are taught to grin and bear it. I am quite good and tolerating pain. It makes a good athlete but a very short career.

"that funny American game where they run about in all the padding"

Nope, it's that funny Canadian game where they run about in all the padding. Different rules (slightly).

Where are you located? How hot does it get in the spring and early fall, when many football teams are starting workouts? Do the coaches make sure that the kids have plenty of water and time to drink it during workouts?

From time to time we lose a kid to heat-related injury. And there's that scary sudden killer, the undetected heart related death. Does you son have a heart murmur at all? I don't know what the physicals are like where you are, but any kid of mine I'd pay to have an EKG just to be sure. From tackles and being tackled, there's a risk of spinal injury.

How are your coaches at supporting kids scholastically? Talk to the teachers of his school. Do the coaches stay on top of the kids' grades only during the football season, or do they maintain an interest throughout the year? Do they allow the kids to go to tutoring, or insist practice is more important than good grades? Sure, you as a good parent will keep an eye on the kid, but there's nothing like good support from the coaches to nip problems in the bud right there at school, before he has a chance to get too far behind.

And thanks, guys. I expect it will help him keep healthy and leave him with great memories, but I do worry.

"How hot does it get in the spring and early fall"

Eastern Canada. 30C is rare in mid-august. September is cool.

"How are your coaches at supporting kids scholastically?"

He's planning to go into the IB program, and already has a small university scholarship tucked away. He'll drop a sport quickly if it starts to interefere. I expect the tennis will suffer, but he has his fundamentals and will be able to go back to it.

Good concerns, though, and I will make sure I chat with the coaches. This son is the healthy one, so no pre-existing health concerns. His build is from the "big" side of the family (like mine) which is also the "predisposed to type 2 diabetis" side, so I am glad he is physically as well as mentally active.

Here's some experience based on my football player.

1. Tackle with shoulders, not with head.
2. Do not close your eyes before hitting someone.
3. Be alert even when not drilling. A common injury is getting your legs rolled up when you are just standing around and someone runs into you.
4. Stretch
5. Stay hydrated
6. Upperclassmen and varsity players are always right.

The biggest risk? His buddies who convince him he'd be really awesome if he'd just take a few shots of hormone.

I second the advice about playing through the pain. Working on the bench as the statistician, kid came off the field with a knee injury, they iced it and set him down. Shortly afterwards he said 'Aw the Hell with it', tore off the pack and went back into the game. Promptly totally destroyed his knee, his football career and his hopes for playing football with his kids. I fault the coach for allowing him to play through the pain as well, but it was entirely his choice.

From my experience, watch the coaches in action. Having been the recipient of "you have to play" and "walk it off", taped up, wrapped up, hobbling.. at about the same age. I now feel those injuries on a regular basis – 30+ years later.

I pulled my son off a team where the coach was wearing his "railroad tracks" with pride – which was just the beginning. Any and all sports are a game at that age, not a profession. Bobby Knight wannabe's, reliving their glory days? No thanks.

STD rates are soaring among teens. Advise him to steer clear of the "spirit girls".

My son has had less injuries playing football than my daughter has playing soccer.

Waco Joe is spot on.

Regards, the Gorb

First issue is a properly fitting helmet -- possibly the most important. If you don't know how to do this yourself, got to a local sporting goods store where they sell them and learn how. Never compromise on this issue.

Second. Conditioning is key to avoiding injuries. Especially were the neck is concerned. Primary source of most neuro injuries. When I was playing I couldn't buy shirts because my neck was so big.

Third. Have a long talk about performance enhancing drugs. These will kill you very early in life. No one will remember even one of your high school games but many will remember you died in your 40's or early 50's.

Fourth, protect the knees. This is easier said than done. Conditioning, awareness, smarts and luck are all required to avoid knee injuries. I'd counsel avoiding spikes longer than 1/2" or maybe an inch.

The worst injury I had playing football was when I jumped to catch a pass and got high / lowed. Didn't even get a hand on the ball but my back was a mess for weeks. Dunno what you do to avoid that except play another position.

I got hurt a lot worse playing basketball than I ever did playing football.

Finally, check out the coaching staff. Some of these guys know what they are doing and some have no clue as to what they are doing. Sometimes you have to step in and help / put your foot down about unsafe practices; or find someone who can help to make sure the kids are properly prepared.

mjc

Conditioning, weight training especially the neck and shoulders and wearing proper safety equipment – ie neck collar and a good helmet all will help. The best thing he can do is not buy into the of playing hurt. If he is hurt then he needs to say so and stop playing.

We had a local kid who got clipped and hurt his leg. He refused to leave the game and go to the hospital. Later that night he went to the hospital but it was too late to save the leg. The artery had been damaged and he lost bloodflow. He survived but he went from superstart to cripple in a flash. The risk of being called a wuss by the coach and his team-mates was not worth that kids leg. Watch from the sidelines, if he doesn't seem himself then go to the bench and talk to him and if necessary take him to the hospital himslef. Most coaches these days care more about winning and keeping their job than teaching sportsmanship or keeping the ids in their charge safe.

I loved playing football but I saw and have heard of some terrible and regrettable incicents because coaches took the wrong view of their primary mission.

I got a dislocated kneecap my senior year in High School (Québec) during a game; it hurt like hell. I tried to play again, but my kneecap was too fragile.

Since then, it has dislocated a few times (still hurts!), often in bad moments. A nuisance for sure.

I don't regret playing though.

I played football from eighth grade on, I got hurt twice. Broke my little finger, I can do party tricks with my little finger. As ArchiducCharles, I dislocated my kneecap. Football was not the cause, I have a physical defect that causes my kneecaps to dislocate. That was cured by using a patella knee brace. I got hurt much more in wrestling than I did in football. I have longer lasting effects of falling down a staircase twenty years ago, than I do from playing high school football.

Mike

All good advice. If he arrives in shape, pays attention to his hydration, doesn't have a nut ball for a coach and stays serious (most/many injuries occur at the end of a play when one player lets up), it is like any other sport. My boys both have had far more serious injuries in soccer than when they played football.