Concussions in Different Football Levels
By: Brycen McWilliams
Even though there are many ways of obtaining injury in football, the injuries that are focused on the most, are concussions. Concussions have now been able to shape the way football is played, from different teaching constructions, to new rules being made. Officials have now started informing people of the dangers of concussions at the younger age groups, which have changed the game and the number of athletes competing in the sport. Though numbers are dropping in the sport, awareness and proper instruction have helped to decrease the number of this serious injury.
Little League
Do to the new awareness of concussions, the little league and the Pop Warner football leagues lost 6.7% of kids playing. According to data provided to "Outside the Lines," Pop Warner lost 23,612 players, thought to be the largest two-year decline since the organization began keeping statistics decades ago.
English: High school football, running back, 1999,...
English: Indiana High School football team, circa ...
English: River Hill High School football field(Brown, 2013) Pop Warner officials said they believe several factors played a role in the decline, including the trend of youngsters focusing on one sport. But the organization's chief medical officer, Dr. Julian Bailes, cited concerns about head injuries as "the No. 1 cause." (Brown, 2013) USA Football, a national governing body partially funded by the NFL, said participation among players ages 6 to 14 fell from 3 million to 2.8 million in 2011. (Andrews, 2012) It has come to be that it is not the kids not wanting to play but it is the parents being overly cautious do to head injuries. The downward trends in youth football participation coincide with a series of ominous reports about football and brain damage in the NFL. (Mindoza, 2012) Tony Strickland, who is CEO of the Sports Concussion Institute, said concerns about football and head injuries have outshined the pace...