Maryland to introduce bill to ban tackle football under age 14

[Omega]

Never say it will never happen. Although this is just proposed legislation, it may initiate further moves to regulate or ban 14U tackle football across the nation. We have debated the topic ad nauseum in another thread, so this post is informational only.

From WTOP

WASHINGTON — As evidence of the lasting cognitive damage caused by football to developing brains continues to mount, one Maryland lawmaker has decided to take the issue to the statehouse.

A new measure being drafted by state Del. Terri Hill, a Democrat, would prohibit the Maryland State Board of Education from approving tackle football programs for children under the age of 14 and require those 14 and up who want to play to take a course explaining the risks associated with concussions and brain injury. It would also include provisions against heading in soccer and checking in lacrosse for kids under the age of 14.

The bill is expected to be finalized before Friday, the House deadline to be assured of a hearing.

Both New York and Illinois have introduced similar measures in recent weeks. But Hill, whose district covers parts of Baltimore and Howard counties, sees her bill not as an attack on the sport, but rather an effort to inform the public of a mounting health crisis.

“They’re just out and out bans on tackle football up to age 13 or 14 — there really is no education component,” she told WTOP of the New York and Illinois bills. “To me, they’re more reactionary. They’re not really addressing the issue of subconcussive injury, head injury and concussion.”

Before running for Maryland’s General Assembly in 2014, Hill spent her professional life working in medicine, earning her M.D. from Columbia University and practicing as a plastic surgeon since the early ’90s. She serves on the Health and Government Operations Committee.

“I love having young people participate in sports,” she said. “I’m not trying to stop that. I’m trying to make it as safe for their lives, long-term, as possible.”

Hill’s bill will follow on the heels of another measure she recently introduced, HB 552, which would mandate a licensed health care provider or an individual who has completed concussion risk and management training to be on the sideline for every practice and game for youth sports leagues that use any public facilities or those that occur on grounds that receive public money.

Furthermore, it requires that this individual be empowered to make the final decision on return to play following a head injury. HB 552 will be heard in Annapolis on Thursday, Feb. 15.

While Hill initially thought pushing both bills in the same legislative session might be too ambitious, she realized she couldn’t pursue one without the other.

“Frankly, there’s an inconsistency in introducing the first bill — which says, ‘We want you to be aware of these injuries’ — and not saying, ‘We really need to think about why we’re allowing you to be subject to these injuries.’”

One person helping Hill craft the bills and garner support for them is a familiar name among area football fans. Madieu Williams played at Duval High School in Lanham, Maryland, and the University of Maryland before embarking on a nine-year NFL career as a safety that finished back in Washington in 2012.

Now a law student at the University of Baltimore, Williams provides a voice of experience with perhaps an unexpected view of the game.

“You do not have to hit to understand the game of football,” he told WTOP. “Yes, there’s a physicality to come with it. However, if you don’t know what you’re doing or where you’re going, you don’t know who you’re going to hit.”

Williams himself did not play tackle football until his ninth-grade year at Duval, when he was 14 years old, but still enjoyed a long NFL career. With a son of his own, he sees no reason for his son to either, especially given the emerging science that has come out the past few years.

“I will allow my son to play flag, but I will not allow him to play youth tackle football,” he said. “Whatever football’s going to teach him, there’s other sports he can choose to play that can provide that at an early age … Just because his father played, doesn’t mean he has to play.”

The news of the Maryland bill comes on the heels of a recent Aspen Institute program held in D.C. titled “Future of Football,” which devoted its panel discussions to the question of whether flag football could become the standard for pre-high school play and what effect that might have on the sport at all levels moving forward. The two former players on the panels were Dominique Foxworth, Williams’ former teammate at Maryland, and Chris Borland, who made headlines for retiring from the game at age 24.

Foxworth echoed Williams’ view on how he’s approaching the game for his own son.

“Personally, the reward was worth the risk for me,” he told WTOP. “But given the statistics, I don’t think it’s necessarily worth the risk for my son.”

Williams actually consulted Borland in helping to craft the bill, which the latter believes is the only way to enact meaningful change within the sport.

“The NFL’s had a quarter century to deal with this problem and is still suiting up 5-year-olds in body armor,” Borland said. “Leave it up to good research, then make laws that protect kids. We’ve done more with less information, from car seats to cigarettes and on, so I think it’s past due.”

Practically, it’s unclear yet exactly what would happen to existing youth tackle football programs. But flag football programs exist in various forms around the country, and flag is even being promoted as an option by USA Football.

Ultimately, Hill said the intent of both measures is to protect the health of the next generation. She said she’s been encouraged by the discussions she’s had, as well as by the reception among her peers.

“Both of these bills are designed for us to show greater appreciation for how fragile the brains of young people are and respecting that in terms of what kinds of activities we allow them to participate in,” she said.

“I’m really not hearing anyone so far that’s saying we should not do this.”

https://wtop.com/maryland/2018/02/maryl ... er-age-14/

[Howard Cosell]

I am sure that our Chinese overlords will be happy that we quit teaching mental toughness to our young people

[Raider6309]

Too many libtards

[BBALL99]

I can see this happening in more states in the future. It will be interesting to see how this issue all plays out. Football is going to continue to look for more ways to make the game safe, especially for the younger age levels thru high school.

[rxburgfan]

If we were also to limit driving of cars till a person reaches 40 years of age the incidence of car crashes would go down. The Nanny State of the Union wants people to live like “they” think we should.

[enigmaax]

If we were also to limit driving of cars till a person reaches 40 years of age the incidence of car crashes would go down. The Nanny State of the Union wants people to live like “they” think we should.

Terrible example. For starters, there are age limits and restrictions on driving for that exact reason. Also, the practical need for transportation is astronomically greater than that of a game with a specific set of rules that endangers children.

[noreply66]

If we were also to limit driving of cars till a person reaches 40 years of age the incidence of car crashes would go down. The Nanny State of the Union wants people to live like “they” think we should.

stop letting high school kids drive and only a permit if under 18 and out of high school.
Over 40 would mean these people would have to find a ride to work until they retire.

[25th Street NW]

This country keeps getting softer.

[rxburgfan]

If we were also to limit driving of cars till a person reaches 40 years of age the incidence of car crashes would go down. The Nanny State of the Union wants people to live like “they” think we should.

Terrible example. For starters, there are age limits and restrictions on driving for that exact reason. Also, the practical need for transportation is astronomically greater than that of a game with a specific set of rules that endangers children.

More injuries by kids in auto accidents than football. Then keep the kids out of the car. “Football endangers children”....then don’t participate. But hope your child doesn’t choke on the bubble wrap you encase them in.

[enigmaax]

If we were also to limit driving of cars till a person reaches 40 years of age the incidence of car crashes would go down. The Nanny State of the Union wants people to live like “they” think we should.

Terrible example. For starters, there are age limits and restrictions on driving for that exact reason. Also, the practical need for transportation is astronomically greater than that of a game with a specific set of rules that endangers children.

More injuries by kids in auto accidents than football. Then keep the kids out of the car. “Football endangers children”....then don’t participate. But hope your child doesn’t choke on the bubble wrap you encase them in.

Again, if you can’t differentiate the practical purpose of driving from the relatively meaningless purpose of a game, you just aren’t very smart. Still, THERE ARE driving restrictions on children aimed at reducing the number of accidents. Like a minimum age, which is exactly what this topic is about. I didn’t say whether I agreed or not, simply that your comparison does nothing at all to support your opinion. Whether you like it or not, there is going to start being liability issues with offering football to certain ages, through the school, etc. And that is going to discourage programs from existing or existing in certain forms at certain ages. If you hope to change that, you will need a lot better argument. (Also, my kid plays, so my observation is not driven by my preference one way or the other.)

[rxburgfan]

Well enigmaxx I hope people like you can make me smarter. So thanks for expressing your opinion and informing we less smart people how foolish we are with our opinions.

[Game day]

The meaningless purpose of the game! Those of us that played learn more about adversity, team work and what it takes to be successful. I agree America is getting soft!

[enigmaax]

The meaningless purpose of the game! Those of us that played learn more about adversity, team work and what it takes to be successful. I agree America is getting soft!

There are lots of games that teach life lessons that don’t involve a high risk of brain damage for 12 year olds. Seriously, I’m not even an advocate for these changes but most of the defenses against them are really mind boggling.

[countywide35]

if you don't want your kid playing a collision sport; NEWS FLASH YOU DONT HAVE TO! but contestant bashing of the parents that do wish for their children to play is getting old quite frankly beyond old. Hey we get it. There is news articles EVERYWHERE of football and CTE. We all know the risks. There is no DE meaningful remarks to those that choose to not let their child play a collision sport so ease up on the parents that do allow it.

[rxburgfan]

The meaningless purpose of the game! Those of us that played learn more about adversity, team work and what it takes to be successful. I agree America is getting soft!

There are lots of games that teach life lessons that don’t involve a high risk of brain damage for 12 year olds. Seriously, I’m not even an advocate for these changes but most of the defenses against them are really mind boggling.

A defense is mind boggling generally when you don’t agree with it. Opinions and defenses are like belly buttons. Everyone has one unless your an alien...made you look.

[enigmaax]

The meaningless purpose of the game! Those of us that played learn more about adversity, team work and what it takes to be successful. I agree America is getting soft!

There are lots of games that teach life lessons that don’t involve a high risk of brain damage for 12 year olds. Seriously, I’m not even an advocate for these changes but most of the defenses against them are really mind boggling.

A defense is mind boggling generally when you don’t agree with it. Opinions and defenses are like belly buttons. Everyone has one unless your an alien...made you look.

Well, no, there are good arguments and bad arguments. Your comparison was a bad one. The argument that sports teaches life lessons is a potential good one, but doesn’t explain why it is so necessary to specifically have tackle football for let’s say, 10 year olds.

These lawmakers are trying to put an age limit on violent contact between children because parents clearly won’t weigh the risk and do so on their own. A child isn’t in a position to make the decision to play or not play on their own and clearly some parents are more worried about re-living their glory of youth through their kids than considering the risks. That’s why “don’t like it, don’t play” doesn’t work as a solution.

For the record, my 15 year-old plays football and rugby. I’m not anti-sports. It is a mere observation that the philosophy is changing in society and the caveman copouts aren’t going to prevent it. I am still interested in a compelling argument against regulating the age. It isn’t doing away with the sport, it is reducing unreasonable risk that people place upon their children.

[Proud_Pirate63]

There are lots of games that teach life lessons that don’t involve a high risk of brain damage for 12 year olds. Seriously, I’m not even an advocate for these changes but most of the defenses against them are really mind boggling.

A defense is mind boggling generally when you don’t agree with it. Opinions and defenses are like belly buttons. Everyone has one unless your an alien...made you look.

Well, no, there are good arguments and bad arguments. Your comparison was a bad one. The argument that sports teaches life lessons is a potential good one, but doesn’t explain why it is so necessary to specifically have tackle football for let’s say, 10 year olds.

These lawmakers are trying to put an age limit on violent contact between children because parents clearly won’t weigh the risk and do so on their own. A child isn’t in a position to make the decision to play or not play on their own and clearly some parents are more worried about re-living their glory of youth through their kids than considering the risks. That’s why “don’t like it, don’t play” doesn’t work as a solution.

For the record, my 15 year-old plays football and rugby. I’m not anti-sports. It is a mere observation that the philosophy is changing in society and the caveman copouts aren’t going to prevent it. I am still interested in a compelling argument against regulating the age. It isn’t doing away with the sport, it is reducing unreasonable risk that people place upon their children.

At what age did your 15 year old start playing tackle football and rugby?

[wagner97]

Good for the state of Maryland. Hopefully Ohio follows suit by banning biddy league football. Feel sorry for some parents though, they will have to wait a few more years to live their lives through their "superstar" children.

[Proud_Pirate63]

I think one thing nobody has mentioned on this thread is this proposal and the other two from New York and Illinois is for banning School sanctioned tackle football for U14. This in my opinion would actually make this sport less safe by giving rise to leagues/teams that anybody could start. Even if those bans and mean million to one IF those bans were to pass, then I could go and start my own “travel” team that plays other “travel” teams. I would not be bound by the same rules or regulations that our school or a school’s sanctioning body have in place to keep the players as safe as they can. The only oversight would maybe be from the parents of my players. But if we were winning then that takes care of a lot in some parents eyes. Bottom line...taking it out of the schools would be a mistake.

Just as a side note wagner97, my son doesn’t play football. He is a soccer player. He tried football but like soccer better. Not trying to live my life through his. If he wanted to quit soccer tomorrow, I would let him.

[enigmaax]

At what age did your 15 year old start playing tackle football and rugby?

They had tackle football for 6 year olds when he was that age. He played 2 years and then we pulled him until Junior High. He is a freshman now and has played rugby since we moved overseas last June. He plays 17U with his school and plays tournament and rec rugby with older kids and adults.