OT: Pop Warner participation decreased 9.5% between 2010-12
Pretty interesting read, if only because of the interviewed sources' different explanations for why this decrease is occurring and their suggested steps to change youth football.
Basically, Pop Warner's chief medical officer blamed parents' fears about their kids getting concussions, but other Pop Warner officials blamed more variable factors like a down economy, and cited a survey saying kids are trending towards only playing 1 sport.
One interesting voice going against the grain:
"But Strickland, who is CEO of the Sports Concussion Institute, said concerns about football and head injuries have outstripped the pace of scientific evidence, creating unwarranted hysteria about the risks of playing football.
"I have felt that the pendulum swung way ahead of the science and what we know," Strickland said."
So, basically, do you think this is a sign of doom for the future of football? Do you think this is insignificant? Do you think football will continue to water down the rules so we will be watching flag football within the next 20 years?
November 14th, 2013 at 12:55 AM ^
He goes a little more in depth here about youth and brain trauma. My hypothetical kids are not allowed to play football
"youngsters are at much greater risk than adults in terms of concussion, both because their brains are not myelinated fully. Myelin is the coating of nerve fibers like coating on the telephone wire. It gives it better transmission, but it also gives it greater strength. So a child's brain is much more easily damaged from acceleration forces imparted to it. And as you mentioned, youngsters have disproportionately large heads, very weak necks."
http://www.npr.org/2012/10/23/163499526/pop-warner-suspends-coaches-after-concussions
November 14th, 2013 at 1:17 AM ^
Id like to see overall participation numbers. Just because Pop Warners numbers are lower doesnt mean those kids arent playing anywhere else. In our youth league we added another team. Our individual organazation probably grew 30%.
November 14th, 2013 at 1:35 AM ^
I get it in a way how parents think, is this really worth the risk? I got hurt playing organized sports when I was in 8th grade and still have lower back pain from it now in my mid 20's. My dad was a star running back in high school who felt the need to take Excedrin most days in his 50's due to recurring neck pain from being hit in football so many times.
I do think parents are overreacting, but it's easy to understand with the volume of stories coming out about concussions from football. It's that "where there's smoke there's fire" idea that people get.
November 14th, 2013 at 4:51 AM ^
November 14th, 2013 at 7:12 AM ^
November 14th, 2013 at 1:41 PM ^
Basketball isn't supposed to be a contact sport!!
November 14th, 2013 at 7:14 AM ^
November 14th, 2013 at 12:10 PM ^
there are rules to follow.
November 14th, 2013 at 11:27 AM ^
What I saw was a large disparity in the quality of coaching among the various teams. We were adimate about having only "supervised" contact in practices. No unnessecary hitting and absolutely NO horsing around with eachother in helmets & pads. We were also VERY fast with the whistles in practice stopping the blindside hits when a ball carrier won't go down easy.
We watched other teams on the same field practice and I found myself many times just cringing at the antics. One team had 2 broken arms & a broken leg and I could have predicted it. These morons let the kids just tee off on eachother & play extended games of "smear the qu**r" as we used to call it. This results in blind hits like crazy and is inexcusible to me.
Quality coaching and officiating can minimize injuries by a ton IMHO. If a tackler has both legs tied up its WHISTLE NOW!! If a kids helmet spins 15 degrees on his head the coach should not let him play until properly fitted. Teach them not to drop their heads at any time by using drills that reinforce this and actually make those that do look foolish(I came up with a couple real good ones for my team). Teach young lineman about proper upward leverage and not allowing battering rams leading with helmets.
That said it's still a physical sport with SOME injurious potential. Not as much as rollerblading, skateboarding, downhill skiiing or bouncing on a trampoline with friends but it is there and should be accounted and minimized as much as possible.
November 14th, 2013 at 11:38 AM ^
November 14th, 2013 at 1:42 PM ^
November 14th, 2013 at 12:05 PM ^
We two with cucussions this year in pop warner pee wee. It's a manditory 10 days out after Dr clearance.
Membership levels are way down. It's an expensive sport and there are many other options.
Fall lacross and fall baseball are getting popular too.
That said, the #1 sport for head injures (double football rates) is bicycling.