Eliminating the Parent Justification in Youth Football

By Peter Schwartz | Posted 5/28/2019

There are many things in life that can make a child happy. Playing youth sports can be one of them.

However, parents of kids who love to play youth football find themselves having to justify things they shouldn’t.

Football is a great team sport that teaches valuable life lessons to all who participate. As Dr. Brian Hainline, a leading neurologist within sports science recently said, “There’s a social harmony in football that you just don’t get with other sports.”

Whether it was peanut, pee-wee, midget, pony, flag, or middle school football, my son Bradley has soaked in good and bad moments, and has advanced to play in the U.S. National team program.

RELATED CONTENTThe Importance of Team Building Activities 

Little attention is given to ground-breaking safety improvements being made in the game, which have positively changed other sports as well. Organizations like USA Football have made and continue to make the game safer and smarter through bold, nationally endorsed guidelines for play in addition to clinics, workshops and dynamic curricula produced with leaders across football and medicine.

Parents who are unaware of 21st century standards across football may be among those who more than five dozen medical experts had in mind when they publicly issued a “call for balance” in media reports relative to long-term benefits and risks and benefits of contact sports.

Are there injuries in football? Of course, but to look away from the fact that there are injuries in other sports is not fair and can be frustrating to a youth football parent.

RELATED CONTENTWhy Parents Need to Always Respect Other Players

I was having a phone conversation with a family friend last week and when I talked about my son playing football, he continued to mention how dangerous football is. I hear comments like these from avid football fans at the sports radio station I work at as well.

Football does have some inherent risks, but nonetheless, it is a fabulous game that is fun to play and teaches so much about teamwork and leadership. I advise anyone with predetermined thoughts about football to consider doing some research on how the game is evolving before you write off the opportunity you could provide for your child’s youth sport experience.

Peter is a sports anchor for the CBS Sports Radio Network, FOX News Headlines 24/7 and WCBS 880 Radio in New York.  His son Bradley plays middle school football on Long Island and is a participant in the U.S. National Team program while his younger son Jared plays flag football.   Peter, his wife Sheryl and the boys are busy cheering on the New York Jets when they’re not at a youth football field. 

Share