Contact Vs Football

Football is a very intense sport with a lot of physical contact. Tackling, a crucial part of football, is detrimental to children who are still growing, and can result in cognitive damage, developmental decline, and many other problems that may arise later in life. While some claim that tackle football is a long standing American tradition, and a good sport for young children, it is my firm belief that the physical and cognitive damage done is far more damaging than playing football is beneficial.

Tackling and collisions in football can damage a child’s cognitive ability quite drastically. This is made evident in the article by Deborah Netburn titled “Study of former NFL players highlights risk of tackling too young,” which says “Researchers

Head injuries, such as concussions are extremely detrimental to development, and children who play tackle football often receive them. This article states that “..the age of 12 [was found to be] the dividing line because it is an important time for the brain,’ and “players between the ages of 9 and 12 are exposed to an average of 240 head impacts in a single football season.” Every time these children have a head impact, they are somehow damaged cognitively. Tackling and physical contact is arguably the most important part of football, so this means that a child’s developing body and mind will constantly be taxed by injuries or intense head-on collisions. It has been made clear that developmental years are far too important to be interrupted by the ferocity of tackle football.

Tackle football is a very dangerous and taxing sport, not for the faint of heart. Letting young people participate in this barbaric pastime is nothing but inimical to their developmental status and general well being. As a society, we should strive to do all we can in order to provide our youth with a better future and a healthy, long, and wondrous life. Thus I strongly disagree with allowing young children to participate in tackle