In America football has taken over the role as our national pastime. Partially because of the excitement that it brings from many of its big hits. But in recent years the sport has become more and more controversial due to head and brain injuries that not only affect players while playing the game, but often for the rest of their lives. I played football all throughout high school and have witnessed first had the effects of a head injury, such as a concussion, on my fellow team mates. And due to this I am sure there is a way to make America's favorite game safer, while still keeping the key aspect of the game, hitting.

In an article co-written by Lawrence Robbins and Frank Conidi, they argue and discuss different facts and studies done on football players of many ages, ranging from young children at about five years old, and all the way to college and the pros. He argues that one way to help make the game safer and to reduce concussions is that "we should eliminate tackle football before age 18." This sounds great in theory. It would take out most of the risk for traumatic brain for younger children thus protecting them. But they also talk about if this was the case then many athletes would be "in essence placing an individual who has had little to no strength training and skill training to protect himself with full grown men." This explains how we must find a different way to make the game safer other than taking out its key aspects. I believe the authors of the article to be biased, but only with their concern for player health, because they also explain that the game should not be changed drastically.

In an article written by Syd M. Johnson, in the journal of school health the author argues that simply putting "return to play guidelines" in place will not prevent traumatic brain injuries. The author writes that younger athletes are at a much higher risk of concussions and other brain injuries than older athletes. The author talks about "return to play guidelines" and how these guidelines that decide when an athlete is again able to participate in the sport helps a lot, but doesn't prevent a concussion, only stops it from perhaps being injured further. So the author argues that simple thing to do would be to take tackling out of youth football. This though as they said would be met with large controversy. But I believe the health of athletes, especially in children is much more important. The author's interests are based on wanting to keep children who participate safe, and is biased towards taking hitting out of youth football to do so. Although the author is bias though they are very credible for their work and opinions based on the fact that the article was posted in the Journal of School Health.

In another article written by Josh Hunsucker, he talks about how youth, high school, and college sports should adopt many of the same protocols as the National Football League has in recent years. He argues that all lower levels of the sport must adopt things like standard return to play guidelines, baseline testing so we have something to compare their performance to, better education of players on safety, and also equipment. It is very clear that as long as football remains a contact sport then there will always be risk of head and brain injury, but there are several ways we can reduce that risk. It is clear that the author's interest are in protecting the athletes but is biased in that but also in wanting to keep hitting in the sport. He talks of ways to reduce the dangers but doesn't talk much about taking hitting out of the sport all together. What makes him credible I believe is all of the reference sources used in the article and the amount of sources that were used.

After researching this topic I have found several opinions on several ways to protect players from life altering brain injuries. Many suggest taking the obvious problem, hitting, out of the sport, and this would help tremendously, but I do not believe it is the answer. I believe talking more precautions, education players and coaches ahead of time will help a lot. If we can teach everyone involved how to prevent it to begin with it would help to stop the issue. But on the chance that a player does have a concussion the right measures must be taken to make sure said player is fully healthy before being even considered to return.
