Football, has been an integral part to American life for the past century. This sport, unlike any other, seems to break down social and racial barriers, and gives all people something to work hard for, the team. Epitomizing this sentiment is a quote from the football great, Joe Paterno. He said, "It's the name on the front of the jersey that matters most, not the one on the back" (Antoniacci). Not only does it bring people together, but also teaches responsibility, honor and perseverance. It allows them to express themselves in their style of play, and to make excellent friends along the way. But with all things, there are downsides, and the downside of sports are the threat of injury. There has always been a threat of serious bodily harm to participants, but with the advancements of medicine and protective equipment, the worries of players and parents should be diminished, right? Sadly, this is not the truth. Even with all of these incredible new treatments, and state of the art equipment, the fear of injuries seems to be at an all-time high among the general population. I see one reason for this mindset among people, and that reason is the new found fear of concussions and other traumatic brain injuries. These repeated blows to the head can ultimately lead up to a condition known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE (Camarillo). This seemingly new threat has sparked a huge discussion among players, parents and the scientific community. Many parents are now questioning whether or not to allow their children participate in contact and collision sports, such as football, hockey, and basketball. They fear that their child will develop these conditions, debilitating them for life. While there concern as parents are understandable, they are not necessary. Youth sports are as safe as ever due to many new laws and policies regarding brain injuries. CTE and other long term sports related brain injuries are not a threat to players at lower levels of sports.

Over the years, there have been several theories and hypotheses about how a concussion occurs, and what is happening to the brain during this injury. This has led to many misconceptions, and confusion among the general population and the average athlete. One thing that is agreed upon is that when someone takes a blow to the head, there is some movement of the brain, which causes the injury. This is where the agreement ends however. One major misconception is that the injury is caused by the brain smashing into the insides of the skull, causing damage to the outer parts of the brain (Camarillo). This not entirely true, because in most depictions, the brain can be seen moving drastically within the cranial vault. In reality, there is very little space within the cranium, not enough for brain to move at that rate. What scientists believe now is that the damage occurs more towards the center. The stretching and contorting of the brain is what causes the symptoms to arise (Explain it). Another misconception is that straight forward head collisions are the most dangerous, but this is not the case. It has now been found that the side to side motion is much more dangerous. This is so because it promotes the stretching much more (Camarillo). If this trauma occurs repeatedly, it can have devastating effects and lead to the development of CTE. CTE is a degenerative disease that affects the ability to speak, emotions, and behavior. Not much is known about this condition, and it can only be diagnosed after death (Asken). The lack of knowledge about this disease is what has led to the hysteria among the people. It has stigmatized the condition, and has made it the “boogieman” of the sports world.

The history of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy is actually much longer than one might expect. The symptoms of this disease were first noticed in the 1920’s. A doctor who was examining a group of boxers noticed that they were all behaving erratically. He described the affliction as “punch drunk syndrome.” After this, not much successful research had been completed, until the end of the century. At the turn of the century however, NFL players and team doctors had begun to notice problems (“NFL Concussions Fast Facts.”). The first player to voice concerns was a former Pittsburgh Steelers Offensive Lineman, Mike Webster. He claimed that at the age of 47, he had developed dementia, and that his 16-year long career in the NFL was to blame (Muchnick). Soon after this, he died of a heart attack. Because it was well known that Webster had mental problems, the medical examiner, Dr. Bennet Omalu, examined his brain and discovered CTE. This was a very controversial discovery, because the NFL had been downplaying the dangers of concussions and CTE for years (Ezell). Over the next decade, thousands of former players join in a lawsuit against the NFL for their misinformation on concussions and head injuries. Knowing that they were in trouble, the NFL hoped to rectify the problem by donating money to brain injury research, adapting rules in order to take dangerous plays and hits out of the game, and funding a youth coach training program to help promote safer play at the lower levels (Kounang). The NFL’s shady and unethical actions is what ultimately led to this mass hysteria. Because they were untruthful, it caused people to question what they had to hide(Ezell).

While the controversy did start with the NFL, the conversation evolved into something much bigger. It has become much less of a question of NFL, but of the game itself. Many parents are now having serious reservations about allowing their children to participate in football. They are citing the research of several NFL players. However, there are several statistics that aid their argument. The Center for Disease Control estimates that about 173,000 children sustain concussion annually. In high school football, up to 20% of the team suffers from a concussion each season, and it is estimated that the average player takes 650 hits to the head every season (Findler 450). Based off these facts many people are calling for a ban of youth football, and some are even calling for a ban in high school. In particular, two doctors at the University of Minnesota, Drs. Steven Miles and Shailendra Prasad, say that high school football should be banned because of mentality that comes with it. Young men are drawn to the game by the love of the Friday night lights. They say that, “having football in schools puts pressure on students to engage in a sport that has a high rate of concussions — and can cause serious health problems. (Shah)” With all this in mind, there are still several statistics that support the notion that football is safe at youth levels. It is commonly accepted in the medical community that a person can sustain several concussions throughout their lifetime, and fully recover without any problems. There is also no evidence that explicitly states that a single concussion will cause CTE. Another major misconception that parents are under is that football is the most dangerous activity a child can participate in. This is simply not the truth. In fact, activities such as skiing, skateboarding, bike riding and hockey have been proven to be much more dangerous in terms of the chance of sustaining a traumatic brain injury. If parents are truly concerned about the risk, then they should consider situations and activities which truly leave their children in danger. In the end, there is risk in anything we do, there is a certain risk involved in playing high intensity sports, and there are risks involved in making a sandwich. It is all based upon what risks someone is willing to take.

In the wake of all this controversy, some good has arisen. Funding for new research and development of new protective equipment has skyrocketed, and new innovations are now coming down the pipeline. A raised awareness has also prompted helmet manufacturing companies to scramble in order to improve their products. Some new innovations include a ratchet style chin-strap, higher flexing of materials, and new hit detections software. The ratchet style chin strap improves the effectiveness of the helmet immensely. It does this by ensuring a snug fit every time, which is much more difficult with the classic chin strap adjustors. The next innovation are the materials that the helmets are made of. These materials are much more flexible when taking a hit, which allows more energy to disperse into the helmet and not into the player’s head. Finally, vast improvements have been made in hit detection software. Small sensors located in the helmets keep record of all the hits a player takes, and the severity of those hits. While the idea of a sensor is not new, innovations have been made to make them much more affordable and accessible. For over a decade, this technology cost over 50,000 dollars to equip a full collegiate team. Now, this cost has been reduced to just over 10,000 dollars(Fuhrmeister). While helmets have come a long way since the time of the leatherheads, there are still some glaring problems. By definition, a helmet does not fully protect against traumatic brain injury. Its primary objective is to prevent skull fracture, and merely aids in preventing concussions(Moore). Another problem is its inability to protect against rotational energy. When the helmet is designed, its main focus it placed on straight line collision, much like smashing your head against a wall. In the end, the helmet makes football a much safer sport, but it does not guarantee total safety from injury.

While innovations and improvements are being made in the lab, the NFL and congress have been working on several ways to make the football, and other contact sports much safer. In 2009, the NFL mandated that any player who was knocked out after a hit should not be allowed to return to play for the remainder of the day. Later, in 2009, this policy was improved, and stated that a player should be removed for the day if they are showing any signs of a concussion. The major drawbacks of these policies is that it ignored the lingering effects of a concussion. It only prevented the player from participating for a single day, while the effects of a concussion can linger for days and even weeks. In addition, these current policies also had many holes in regards to detection. Many times a player would be allowed to continue play after sustaining an injury, and after the game being diagnosed. This major flaw was later addressed in 2012. This is when the league took its largest step in order to combat this problem. The new protocol called for a baseline brain functionality test for all players, a third party neurotrauma expert to examine potential TBIs, and strict monitoring of players in the days after a concussion is sustained. These rules also have fines in place for any team that violates these rules (Flynn). Many people were shocked when after these rules were implemented, there was a 12 percent rise in the number of concussion. This is an excellent statistic in my opinion. It shows that the new protocol is working, by removing players who are showing symptoms. State legislatures are also working to improve the safety of youth sports. All 50 states and the District of Columbia have passed varying forms of return to play laws. Most of these laws include education of either players, parents, coaches, or all parties, and all of the laws require that a player be cleared by a medical expert before being allowed to return to the field (From the legislature). These laws greatly reduce the risks, and promote a proactive approach to handling concussions. 

Even with all of these new developments in technology and safety, there is something much more important that makes the game worthwhile. Something that makes all of the blood, sweat and tears seem like nothing at all. It is the friendships made, and the values learned while playing. I would like to share my story, in hopes that it will truly reveal why people are so passionate about the protection of football.

 During my upbringing, my parents were very aware of the risks involved with such sports, but ultimately allowed me to play. My first season began when I turned 12. I vividly remember showing up on my first day of practice. My mother dropped me off at the field that seemed to be equal parts grass and sun scorched dirt. It was a blistering 98 degrees and there was not a single cloud in the sky. I was so unsure of what to do, or what position I would play, but I was excited to go out and make new friends. Throughout my childhood, I always seemed to be a little taller than all of the kids my age, my coach noticed this immediately and I found my home as a wide receiver. After the first day of practice, I was hooked. After years of playing, I had seen plenty of my teammates sustain concussions, but I had never gotten one, until one Friday night my junior year of high school. I was playing receiver, and the play called for me to run a passing route across the middle of the field, and I got laid out by a linebacker. I still do not remember the play itself, but I was able to watch it back on the film. The effects of the hit lingered for the next few days as well. I was very sensitive to light, had trouble with complex thought, and was very moody. The symptoms did subside eventually, and I was able to turn back to my old self. Even though I suffered this, and a few other body injuries, I still did not give it up. Football has been a huge part of my life. Football has taught me lessons and values that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. It has taught me to be self-reliant, but to also look to other when I need help. It has given me some lifelong friends and mentors that I will always value. This is why football means so much to people. The lessons it teaches and relationships that it builds is incomparable, and is truly worth the risk that many people ponder.

Risks are abundant in our daily lives. There are inescapable, and a person must consider these risks in anything they choose to partake in. Football is a prime example of this. Due to this new age of media, a person can attain knowledge much more quickly and efficiently than ever before. With this knowledge, the dangers and concern over the safety of football has been more prevalent. Fear over the lasting effects of brain injuries have caused people to become much more cautious before participating, and allowing their children to participate in one of America’s favorite pastimes. While I cannot deny the serious risk that players at the professional level are for developing CTE and other forms of dementia, I can guarantee that players of the lower levels are as safe as they will ever be. All of the money being spent on new equipment, and all of the time being spent on new rules and legislation is all to benefit one purpose. The safety of the players. At the end of the day, football is not just a sport, but a way of life. Every year, millions of people around the world, either sit down to watch, or strap up to play, and without football the world just will not look the same.
