I Don't Want my Sons to Play Football

Is that so wrong?

Published on September 4, 2004 By JillUser In Sports & Leisure

Let me start by saying I love to watch Fall football. Thanksgiving just wouldn't be the same without a football game playing. I played flag football in school (I'm a girl so, back then, couldn't play football). I will encourage my boys to play the game informally because it is fun. But I know what it can do to a body and I don't want them to go through that.

My dad was a really good high school football player. He never played professionally but still suffers from his high school ball playing career. To be fair, sometimes it is hard to tell what was caused from hockey and what was from football but some of his injuries are quite clearly from football and are ones that he will suffer with for the rest of his life.

My dad has torn ligaments in his hand from getting his thumb ripped back during a tackle. He has had two knee surgeries and back surgery thanks to the sport. I am pretty sure the multiple nose breaks were due to hockey but one or two might have been from football. Broken collar bone was thanks to football.

My oldest son is 7 and is tall and thin. He is currently really into baseball and I am quite pleased with that. My younger one who is now 4 is built more like a football player. He has wide, strong shoulders and he is tall but stocky. I am hoping he will want to play baseball like big brother.

Like I said, I enjoy football, I just don't want my sons ruining their bodies playing it.

Comments

zorven

on Sep 06, 2004

Sometimes the postives outwieght the negatives. How does your dad feel about the experience? My guess would be that he would do it again. Same with me. I had several injuries in my 4 years of high school football. One of them has been starting to increasingly bother me the last couple of years, but I would do it again. The fun and experiences I had far outwiegh the injuries. I only wish there has been more than 4 years

crimson

on Sep 06, 2004

I don't want my daughter to sign up for hockey or figure skating, simply because I would hate to have to hang out in the cold for an hour while she played. Selfishly, I didn't want her to sign up for soccer either, because I couldn't take the idea of sitting out on a hot field watching kids run back and forth. Luckily, she doesn't seem to interested in actually committing to anything (which could be bad, I don't know). You can get hurt at any sport, and those are the first two sports that come to mind when thinking about sustaining injuries. IWell, actually rugby in place of football.) All I can say is good luck. Ultimately, I think I'd let my daughter try out any sport, if she was that interested.
Nic.

JillUser

on Sep 07, 2004

Luckily they haven't shown any interest in football yet. I do think I would give in if they did really want to play. I would just make sure to let them know about the risks and have Papa talk to them. I think I will ask him if he feels it was worth it.

Nicky, you might be surprised how excited you get when it is your child that is running across the field.

tmldk

on Oct 16, 2004

My son will soon be 8. My wife always told him he was to be a ballet star. Unforetunately, I don't think there are any ballet toe shoes that could hold his mass. Recently, he's been talking about the High Scholl football team that comes to their school to play football with them during their recesses. I can only hope we have instilled in him some common sense when it comes to choices. He has tried karate (since age 4) and lost interest. Maybe this is just a fad, but I will support him on anything he wants to try. HIs sister, age 12, is a black belt in karate (at age 10) and has played basketball, and soccer. The only injury she has had is a sprained ankle in cheerleading class - go figure. Sure sitting out in the cold or heat can be trying, but as a parent I wouldn't trade the experience for the world.

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