I've been reading about this specific Pop Warner game and that sounds absurd. 52-0? That game should have been over. Re: youth football being dangerous, sure it is - any contact sport is. I think we know a lot more about the danger of concussions than we did years ago, and that's a good thing. The parents/coaches are the key, here. If there's even a question of a concussion, take the kid out of the game. We're not teaching boys good lessons if we make them feel they're wimps if they don't play through it.

yes, I think football is perhaps too dangerous - but I also think there are some simple and common-sense steps that can be taken to reduce risk and keep the proud traditions of youth football going.

Eliminate down linemen - change the rules to require both offensive and defensive lines to start from an upright position instead of a three-point stance. Require the leagues to have a volunteer or paid physician on-site on game day (most leagues have multiple games on one day in the same location, so this should not prove too burdensome). Instead of breaking kids up by age, break them up by height and weight classes.

These small steps could go a long way to reducing the risk kids face.

Football, like any other sports that promote "movement" (sorry golfers!) has some danger to it. As far as this specific game, it sounds like the post-game punishment was justified, but where were the parents and the team officials during the game. Both are usually present. If the coach did not think that the officials were not properly enforcing the "Mercy Rule", then he should have gone over and spoken to the other coach to get his input with the officials. Coaches are grilled on the rules, both by their own organzations as well as at league meetings. These meetings are mandatory and coaches have to sign in so that they are held accountable. It is supposed to be Safety First. So don't worry about stopping a game that is out of control and pulling your team off the field. Don't wait for the officials!

Regarding steps to help alleviate the problem. Sorry Ben, but you have it backwards. You don't solve it by having linemen start from the upright position. When they "fire out" from a 3 or 4 point stance, they are lucky to be going 1-2 mph. It's after the play has started that the kids build up speed and are most vulnerable. Proper tackling techniques showcase leading with the shoulder, not the head. But there are some coaches who don't know what they are doing when it comes to that kind of instruction and it contributes to the problem. I coached for over ten years in two towns' Pop Warner programs, and I met some coaches who were teaching the wrong way. (cont)

Some of them didn't want other coaches telling them how to coach, and some program officials cowtowed to those coaches that were politically connected and never took my suggestion of a coaching technique review meeting/clinic prior to the start of the season. This should be a mandatory rule and have certified instructors provide the guidance.

Secondly, recognition of a potential problem. Everyone is responsible for looking for kids that have had hard hits to the head. When my boys played for Milford High, it was amazing to me how much the coaching staff either ignored or missed these situations. I would regularly yell to the coaches or the player's parents that there was something wrong. It was amazing how little was done. Not until Tom Cullen became the head coach did this issue get the proper respect it deserved.

And regarding trained medical staff on site. Most teams or schools have certified trainers or EMT's on site. These people are trained to detect the signs of a concussion, but they are not always looking at the field. Sometimes coaches or parents need to step up and bring a potential issue to the attention of the Trainer for an immediate diagnosis. Walk down out of the stands if you have to. Remember, ITS YOUR KID!!

The other thing that should be looked at is the player selection process for both teams. Was one an "elite" team from one town, and the other was a collection of what some might say "athletically challenged" players. I still see it where towns with multiple teams at one age/weight group put together an "elite" team with the intent of trying to win a Championship! Most leagues have rules against it, but if you talk to other parents on how their kid got onto one team or another, they gleefully confess that their little boy, "got the call", while those on the lesser team would more likely complain about the process and the fact that they haven't won a game yet. Those programs that have exhibited these types of teams should be investigated, fined and then have their draft procedure monitored by league officials in the future until the problem is rectified. I'm guessing that this is also a contributing factor in all youth sports injuries, not just the ones involving the head.

Youth football is a wasteland of outdated coaching methods, kids who learn bad habits and poor techniques, kids who learn positions that are no longer suited to them as their bodies change, and massive loads of injuries (head or otherwise). Parents should know that unless your child is an absolute superstar in waiting, you're just paying a lot of money to equipment manufacturers. If a kid is a decent athlete, they can play other sports and pick up football in high school when their body is ready for it - they'll do just as well (if not better) than kids who played several years of Pop Warner.

Avon - there are some good coaches, not all of them are bad. And waiting until their in high school to play contact football is like telling your child that they don't have to go to school between K-5th grade, because the stuff they learn is minimal compared to what they will learn in Middle and High School. There are things to be taught at the younger levels of youth football. But those priorities are left behind when coaches focus more on winning and trick plays than they do on fundamentals.

What you may agree with me on is a suggestion that I have made in the past. And that is that 7, 8 and 9 year olds should be playing Flag Football instead of contact football. There, the kids can learn much of the terminology that is used in the game, and because there are no helmuts, they can learn techniques that emphasize use of the arms/hands, shoulders and legs when blocking or engaging their opponents. Plus, the one thing that I have seen scare away some potential good players is that first contact against a bigger, more abler opponents. Some kids just never recover and quit way too early. Parents and coaches need to look at this more seriously in the future.

Just more "Let's treat our kids like fine china" philosophy. The simple truth of the matter is that kids have the same EXACT chance of receiving a traumatic head injury playing soccer as they do football. It's FACT not opinion.But of course Football gets a bad rap out here where the liberals roam.
Protect your kids absolutely! Should parents have a say to make sure the coach is competent in the sport? Definitely! But all youth sports teach kids qualities and values they will need later on in life. And don't even get me started on the "Everyone gets a trophy" philosophy. By all means kids need to be protected! No question, no doubt and no argument. But to even try and argue that youth football is any more dangerous that other sports is foolish. Kids get hurt, it sucks.
Marc Savard just stated today that he may never return to hockey, but he still wants kids to play. Wow...he sounds sensible!

Avon - Part of the reason that Milford Pop Warner left Pop Warner is that they had old guidelines for Weight and Age that never followed the trend of the size of kids playing in the U.S. When some of our League Officials used to try and convince everyone that Pop Warner was where the high school players were being groomed and would be the foundation of a future varsity team, I just laughed. More than half of the kids that started at age 7 or 8 had dropped out either because they weren't playing much (even with minimum play rules) and a few more that made it to Freshmen Football never went on to JV or Varsity because they were too small. Roughly 20% of the kids that started at the lower levels went on to play Varsity. They didn't want to hear or believe the numbers because they were focused on the few gifted athletes who stayed with the program from start to finish. And then when you look at Freshmen Football more than 1/2 of those kids never played organized football prior to that team. And the two coaches were assigned to that team were overwhelmed because they had to teach all of these kids even the basics of terminology and skill. These were the kids that were too big for Pop Warner. But they were also the most likely to play varsity football when they grew up. American Youth Football recognized that gap and presents a program that allows more of these kids to participate at the youth level prior to going to high school.

Keep the name calling out of this otherwise interesting discussion, thanks.

Mary...Can I ask what name calling? Avon Barksdale IS a fictional drug dealer in HBO's "The Wire"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avon_Barksdale

Avon...I agree with you. My feelings are fine. I just don't feel the answer to this issue is to ban youth football. If we were to do that, then soccer would need a serious look too. Education and certification of coaches, widening the fields should be looked at. And Ben had a good suggestion of no down linemen. Kids get hurt...it is horrible.

Hello everyone,

Just wanted to share a couple of informational websites for this hot topic. Although we are much further long with how we diagnose and treat concussions we are still far from a definitive answer of how to deal with these injuries. The unknown is what makes people so passionate about this. One thing we can contribute the increased concussion rates to in this age group is that we are better educated to identifying the symptoms.
Unfortunately unlike orthopedic injuries concussions carry no external scars or bruising. Appreciate all the feedback given above.

http://www.momsteam.com/health-safety/concussion-safety
http://theconcussionblog.com/
http://www.sportsconcussion.net/

I'm a senior in High School and this is my first year playing football. I'm not a starter, but I start on special teams and am the #2 reciever. We're a 3A school and our undefeated this season. I grew up playing club soccer, and have had two concussions from it. I think kids should play flag football till their freshman year. Then after that full-contact is fine.... I came in knowing NONE of the techniques or language, (and i'm not bragging) but I've earned a pretty good spot just by being a hard worker and natural athlete. My point in this is kids don't need to be playing full contact when their in 6th grade. They'll have the same skill level in High School if they play flag as they would if they went full contact.

Idea....High School players that suffer a concussion are done for the year. Two in 2 years and you would be finished for high school.

Avon - your overall attitude in participating in this conversation has diminished your validity on the subject. Please find another playground to try out your bully routine!

Joe, the people across the aisle need to have their say. He's wrong and its been shown, but let him have his fun.

Football for youngsters should be limited soley to computer games. This will insulate them from any possible injury, as well as exercise, fresh air and sunshine. This should be the new normal. Everyone knows that.