TEOHSFBAWKI

[Omega]

The end of high school football as we know it. Is it just over the horizon?

For your consideration:

1.) The concussion controversy in the NFL. Will local school districts cave and disband football for the sake of safety
and the threat of financial liabilty from lawsuits?

2.) Costs associated wih maintaining a high school football program. Even without the concussion controversy, will
taxpayers demand that local school districts cut elective programs due to spiraling costs and dwindling revenue?

3.) Changing beliefs in American society. Will contact sports fall into disfavor and be discontinued as the Progressive
agenda advances the idea that violence in any form is abhorrent?

I would hate to see this part of Americana disappear, but that possibility does exist. What are your thoughts and opinions?

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

let's hope not.

[fortdawg]

I don't know about that Progressive Agenda nonsense---there are plenty of good Democrats who love football. hahahaah I don't see the money and concussion issues having much effect on the High School Level, at least not any more than they all ready do. The money could come into play as taxpayers and fans demand games that are closer, but where you will see an effect is at the Biddy League Level. I could see a lot of programs going to flag football to keep parents happy.

You do raise a good point on the lawsuit side of it. This will sound crazy to a lot of people but when I first started teaching many schools had a designated "Smoking" area. These were all shut down because of fear of lawsuits. way before smoking was banned from public buildings. On the other hand, I've heard for years how the TVC will be sued someday over Title 9 because the Girls Basketball play all their games on school nights and the Boys only play one per week (This excludes Saturdays of course)---hasn't happened yet.

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

when i went to ironton in the 70's we had a smoking area.

[fortdawg]

I started teaching in 1980 and it wasn't disbanded where I taught until the late or mid 1980's. I don't know the exact year that the State starting awarding money to districts if they went "Smoke Free" but the smoking areas disappeared shortly after that. It has now been expanded to all tobacco products.

[55buckeyes98]

Have families sign a form...play at Ur own risk... concussions can happen in any sport. Can helmets be improved? Spreading the game out causes more dangerous collisions so safety may need to catch up... but I think football is safe

[fortdawg]

55 we are in total agreement but, getting Mom's signature on the preteen may prove difficult. I would imagine most High School kids would be allowed to make their own decision. Again most---not all.

[noles_fan]

With the amount of money being made off of football from the pro level down sport equipment manufacturers are constently make improvements. Just in the last 10 years equipment has advanced by leaps and bounds. Football is a safer sport than it was. what you are seeing now is a trickle down effect of injuries prior to major changes. The oversights are in place now to really make a difference. Like any change results take time but i predict the numbers will start to go the other way soon.

[55buckeyes98]

In the two schools that I work closely with, they both run the ball ALOT! I have seen a few kids with concussions, but I have seen far more in other sports, especially a lot of girls getting concussions. We are notified via email anytime our trainer gets info that a student has a concussion. We have had a higher diagnosis of concussion and rarely are they football players at both schools. Sport equipment has definitely improved, but it seems that the mouthpiece may be the part of the helmet that protects against concussions the most. I think we all need to continue to research and improve the game and not make extreme decisions too quick.

[duck butter]

30 years from now football will not be popular it is a dying sport because of the head injuries