Jonathots Daily Blog
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I am the mother of a fourteen-year-old boy who is playing football on his junior high school team. I am concerned about him continuing because of the new information about concussions. He’s playing wide receiver and he’s very fast and talented, and my husband totally disagrees and thinks I’m just worrying about nothing. I don’t. What do you think?
- Worry is useless.
- Worry must take a journey.
- Worry must become concern, which pursues knowledge and ends up with action.
Your husband, lacking worry, probably feels he is doing a good thing by being open-minded and willing, but it is only a good thing if it’s based on truth, and not merely wishing.
Here are the things you need to know about a young man playing football:
1. The position is everything.
If he is undersized for his position, playing against boys who are larger, stronger and hit harder, then it is not good. If he’s playing against boys his own size, then he has a much better chance of escaping injury.
2. Training.
To play football, you must condition your body to accept punishment for a given time. It also demands that you be smart. At fourteen years of age, he needs to understand that as a receiver, if he’s running across the middle of the field and the pass thrown to him is way over his head, there is no need to leap in the air, leaving himself vulnerable to a hit. Some coaches would disagree with me on this, but most receivers are injured because their quarterbacks threw them a bad pass, which they tried to heroically catch.
3. Don’t give in to pressure.
In other words, if your son experiences a hit that leaves him bleary or with a headache, he should get himself off the field and not try to be macho.
4. Realize that the better you play the game–the harder you hit–the less likely it is that you will be hurt.
5. Check out the equipment.
What is the quality of his helmet? Does it fit correctly? All of these things are important in protecting the brain.
6. Find out what your coach and your local league feel about the concussion issue.
Are they calling penalties for targeting? Are they making fun of the notion of concussions, or are they taking it seriously?
7. Check with your doctor.
It wouldn’t be a bad idea to have your son checked before he plays football, to make sure that he’s sound and ready, with an exam that’s a bit more comprehensive than the normal athletic physical.
Football is a wonderful sport because it teaches teamwork. It also imparts the value of personal effort.
But make sure your worry becomes concern and pursues knowledge, for the more you know about it, the better off you will be.
Don’t teach your son to be afraid.
Frightened people get hurt.
Teach him to be smart and respectful of others who share the field with him.
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