I seldom agree with any policies that come out of California. But one that’s being debated by the state to eliminate tackle football for kids gets my full support.
Tackle football shouldn’t start before junior high; maybe even high school.
So many kids quit football early because their little bodies can’t take the punishment. Why wait until they’ve matured? To keep them from quitting. As someone who coached youth sports and saw firsthand how many quit simply because they were physically over-matched, I’d estimate more than 50 percent quit early; maybe significantly more.
Isn’t it a shame to eliminate so many young bloomers?
Sure it is, but more important it also sours many of them from all athletics.
I used to love college basketball. My greatest thrill as a preteen was watching my Tar Heels beat Kansas and Wilt Chamberlain on a 12-inch TV in 1957. I followed the sport religiously for the next 40 years. I knew the starting lineups for every ACC team and could reel off the nation's top 40 players. Then everything changed. I'm not blaming anyone, but the top high school players […]
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