If you drew the names of 25 random parents in a school district or community and placed them in a room to talk about whether or not they would allow their child to play football, the responses would certainly vary. You would hear discussions with opinions ranging from one end of the spectrum to the other. In reality, all of the parents should certainly do their homework to educate themselves regardless of how they answer that question.

That education should start and finish by asking your child if he or she wants to play football. There are times when that question is already answered because the child has come to a parent to express his or her desire to play. If the child doesn’t want to play and you’re a parent in the “no” category, then looking at another sport is probably the way to go.  That’s not to say that your child won’t want to revisit football somewhere along the line. If that’s the case, then you would proceed to the next step.

For parents in all categories that have kids who want to play, the questions and the process has only just begun. To be fair, a lot of these questions can be asked about other sports like baseball, lacrosse and soccer. You want to make sure the program is safe, the coaches will teach your child the proper fundamentals to develop from the start of the season to the end, your child will have fun, and will learn about teamwork and leadership. Be sure to ask questions about the equipment that is provided and what you need to get for your child. Sometimes the best resources are other parents in your community.

If your child is going to play football and you’re on board with it, the first thing you need to do is find a program in your community and the search needs to start with a program that follows USA Football’s Football Development Model.  It’s important that your child, especially those who are new to the game and just starting out, learn the proper techniques of football and finding a league that has adopted the Football Development Model or plans to in the future. If you find a program that you’re comfortable with but it’s not a Football Development Model league, it doesn’t hurt to ask if they’ve heard about it and plan to use it in upcoming seasons.

Parents who are an automatic “yes” are either big football fans, maybe played themselves, already had another child playing football, already enjoyed watching a family member’s child playing football, or they just want their child to have fun and play sports. If it’s that last reason, you still have to do your homework just like any parent. Don’t just say “yes” to make your child happy. Ask around to other parents who have experience in football and talk to program administrators about the health and safety protocols that are in place.

There are a lot of parent resources available from USA Football, especially when it comes to the Football Development Model.  Football is a great game and can teach your child so many great life lessons. But regardless of where you stand on the subject – “yes,” “no” or “I don’t know” – you owe it to yourself as a parent to educate yourself on the sport, do your homework and find the right program for your child.

Peter is a sports anchor for the CBS Sports Radio Network and WFAN Radio in New York.  His son Bradley is entering his first year of high school football 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.