Youth football cancelled in Highland Park(Chicago) due to Head injury concerns.

Submitted by wisecrakker on

http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/highland-park/news/ct-hpn-park-dist-cancels-tackle-football-tl-0831-20170823-story.html#

Number of football players in OH have been on the decline since 2009 for various reasons: kids specializing in a HS sport, concussions, opportunities to play other sports.

Interesting to see if the is indication of a broader problem facing youth programs.

corundum

August 24th, 2017 at 3:51 PM ^

Did you read the article, though? The title says it was cancelled over concussions, but really it was cancelled because only 11 people signed up. You aren't going to field a football squad if every single player plays both ways for 100% of the snaps.

Michigan Arrogance

August 24th, 2017 at 4:14 PM ^

You can't have a league without players.

 

you won't be saying that shit in October when the "Draftageddon rounds 103-105" post goes up:

Brian: I'm taking Michigan's 14th string LBer.

Ace: Solid pick, tho I think Rutgers has a starting LB still on the board

Brian: thanks, Jim Delany!

BSB: Does M have a 14th string LBer? Also, When can I leave? I haven't see the outside of this room is 3 months and I'm running out of Ramen. I'm tired of making picks.

Brian & Ace in unison looking at each other: I think it's time BSB makes his *final* draft pick.

BSB: oh thank go- wait. waait... gasp.... NOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooo...... [garbled]

FauxMo

August 24th, 2017 at 3:56 PM ^

This response is SO indicative of what is wrong with politics in this country. This guy so desperately wants to blame everything wrong on the "nanny state" that he fails to really even understand what that means. This football program ended because of INDIVIDUAL CHOICES ON BEHALF OF PARENTS CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR KIDS' SAFETY. The government literally had nothing to do with it. 

And FYI, you didn't lose your job because of Mexicans or Chinese or liberal regulations or globalists or anyone else. It's because a robot does it cheaper and faster than you, doesn't need a pension or benefits, and doesn't take sick days... 

big john lives on 67

August 24th, 2017 at 8:31 PM ^

This is what is so wrong with debate in society today. This guy wants so desperately to be led around by the nose by the government and so called intellectual elites that he cannot think for himself and yet arrogantly claims to know what others are thinking.

And FYI, not all research is presented accurately, reporters make up news, and coastal elites do not know everything, particularly how the rest of us should live.

big john lives on 67

August 24th, 2017 at 8:31 PM ^

This is what is so wrong with debate in society today. This guy wants so desperately to be led around by the nose by the government and so called intellectual elites that he cannot think for himself and yet arrogantly claims to know what others are thinking.

And FYI, not all research is presented accurately, reporters make up news, and coastal elites do not know everything, particularly how the rest of us should live.

JMac

August 24th, 2017 at 3:47 PM ^

I heard  an NPR program a couple weeks ago where a Dr. in CA is calling it child abuse if parents allow under 18 year olds to play football.  Not agreeing necessarily just reporting.

FauxMo

August 24th, 2017 at 4:09 PM ^

THIS would be approaching "nanny state" intervention. No, the state should not tell parents their kids cannot play certain sports with (arguably) higher risks of danger because it would constitute "child abuse." If they did, football might be gone, but so would:

-Boxing

-Soccer (heading the ball has a high risk of concussion)

-Rock Climbing

-Skiing (lots of head injuries there)

Etc... 

M-Dog

August 24th, 2017 at 4:00 PM ^

My son is entering high school this fall.  I fully anticipate that there will be no football at all at his high school by the time he graduates.

it makes me sad.

But at the same time, there is no way my wife would ever let him play football.  And that's happening all over.

Perception matters, and the perception right now is that football is downright dangerous.

They need to do something and they need to do it fast.

Or else, can you say Homecoming Cross Country meet?

 

StellaBlue

August 24th, 2017 at 4:10 PM ^

This.  When 110/111 NFL players showed evidence of CTE, the isssue is well beyond mere perception.  The problem will either get fixed, with much less contact involved, or the sport will go away through attrition.  I think it will be the former.

OSUMC Wolverine

August 24th, 2017 at 4:32 PM ^

I never played in the NFL--although I did play football into high school.  I also played a lot on the jungle gym, sledding, 4-wheeling, running/rolling down hills, climbing verticles (and falling), the occasional scrap, jumping racing bikes with the occasional hard fall and broken bones--all as a kid.  In the ED more than once for head trauma--never due to football.  Im just saying the general population of males may be much higher than you think also.

BursleysFinest

August 24th, 2017 at 5:11 PM ^

1. Absolutely right, it is a real problem

2. The study was a little biased, because the players (or their families) who thought they may have had CTE in the 1st place are more likely to volunteer for this.   Would be interesting to get a study like ths done on all football players.  Results would probably still be concerning, but less extreme.