9 Year Old 3rd Grader in Ohio Dies After Football Practice.

[GrayTide]

http://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mor...after-football-practice/ar-BBmOx2B?li=BBgzzfc

This is so sad, a third grader. After all the other deaths to high school players so far this year I am beginning to question the game as it is.

 

[G8RNGA]

Wow, very sad. I didn't see the reason stated, but do they know the cause? It was "light contact" so that seems like concussion or heat exhaustion are ruled out.

 

[PacadermaTideUs]

The practice wasn't "light contact". It was light non-contact. Consequently, I don't see this as a football death at all. The exact cause of death is still being determined, but I see this as likely an exertion death, and one that possibly could have occurred in any athletic endeavor - basketball, baseball, soccer, cross-country track, etc. Heck, it might not even be athletics-related. The boy was discovered unconscious on the ground. He could have died from a lot of different causes. Does that make it any less sad? Of course not. But to point at this case in an indictment of football I think is extremely premature.

I heard someone once make the case that this game that we love originated as a college sport played by physically grown men. It wasn't designed and isn't healthy to be played by young boys (and girls) whose bodies are still growing. Valid argument.

 

[CrankyFranky]

The practice wasn't "light contact". It was light non-contact. Consequently, I don't see this as a football death at all. The exact cause of death is still being determined, but I see this as likely an exertion death, and one that possibly could have occurred in any athletic endeavor - basketball, baseball, soccer, cross-country track, etc. Heck, it might not even be athletics-related. The boy was discovered unconscious on the ground. He could have died from a lot of different causes. Does that make it any less sad? Of course not. But to point at this case in an indictment of football I think is extremely premature.

I heard someone once make the case that this game that we love originated as a college sport played by physically grown men. It wasn't designed and isn't healthy to be played by young boys (and girls) whose bodies are still growing. Valid argument.

I've heard many high school coaches won't even let their kids play football until junior high at the earliest. I can't say that I blame them.

 

[JBama_in_PCOLA]

I played this game myself and received multiple injuries from it. One follows me to this day. I really do love this game, but I love my wife more and she's fought against my son playing football because of things like this.

This is not to say his death is football related, but it could a contributing factor. This is a really said and seemingly an extreme case.


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[CB4]

I am sadden by this as well. Praying for his family and friends.

From reading the article I would caution to wait until we can confirm this child's cause of death. Certainly he was on a football field and practicing, however, there could be other underlying factors that contributed to his death. In example, a teenager here locally some years back suffered a cardiac arrest practicing basketball. Luckily, CPR was administered and the school had an AED and they were able to revive the student. Upon follow up, it was determined the student had a undetected congenital heart defect since birth. It was even missed in the student's pre season physical because there was nothing in the diagnostics that indicated any issue.

Now issues with young players with contact injuries is a whole different "ball of wax". I played pee-wee and junior high ball as did my son. With some of the data coming out concerning chronic and consistent concussions does give me pause for concern. I'm not so certain I would encourage my son to play prior to high school these days.

 

[CrankyFranky]

I played this game myself and received multiple injuries from it. One follows me to this day. I really do love this game, but I love my wife more and she's fought against my son playing football because of things like this.

This is not to say his death is football related, but it could a contributing factor. This is a really said and seemingly an extreme case.


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My youngest decided not to play in 8th grade after playing for 7 years. Honestly, I wasn't upset. The more I read about concussions and the lasting implications, I was actually relieved. My junior decided not to play this year either which was weird in that we aren't going to any football games for our sons, but at the same time, I don't have to worry about future injuries as a result so in that regard, it's a burden lifted.

 

[AUDub]

Wow, very sad. I didn't see the reason stated, but do they know the cause? It was "light contact" so that seems like concussion or heat exhaustion are ruled out.

Too early to know for sure, but this just screams undiagnosed congenital heart defect.

 

[bamamc1]

Very sad. Thoughts and Prayers to his family and friends.

 

[B1GTide]

Just about every male in my family and my wife's family have played HS and/or college football. I was very relieved when our boys decided to go another route.

 

[BamaDMD]

Too early to know for sure, but this just screams undiagnosed congenital heart defect.

I was thinking that also. I remember that happening a handful of times over the years in various sports at different ages.

 

[alwayshavebeen]

A lot of emotions come out when something terrible like this happens to a youngster, but I would encourage everyone to investigate the facts in regards of the risk potential in playing youth sports. You may be surprised to learn where football stands as opposed to other sports/activities.
Also, at this point, there is nothing to suggest this was football related.

 

[uaintn]

Yeah, the media has a little bit of fascination right now and is anxious to be the next one to report a "football-related" death. I think it's sort of this year's Shark Attack story. Doesn't make it any less sad. I cannot imagine what those parents are going through. And there's certainly a decent cohort of people who would happily shut down football entirely, because they don't like it.

I keep track of it more, but every year there are a few sad cases where youngsters die playing baseball. More often than not, they just happened to be playing baseball when they died -- could as easily have happened if they were riding a bike, playing tag in the back yard, or on Space Mountain.

That said, my wife and I decided not to let either of ours try football till they were past 6th grade. As much as I love the game and would never dream of telling another parent how to raise their child, I was relieved when mine both opted for other sports (baseball, track).

 

[JBama_in_PCOLA]

My youngest decided not to play in 8th grade after playing for 7 years. Honestly, I wasn't upset. The more I read about concussions and the lasting implications, I was actually relieved. My junior decided not to play this year either which was weird in that we aren't going to any football games for our sons, but at the same time, I don't have to worry about future injuries as a result so in that regard, it's a burden lifted.

Luckily my first love is basketball.


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[B1GTide]

If you guys don't think that football is killing people, you are willfully ignorant on the subject.

 

[alwayshavebeen]

If you guys don't think that football is killing people, you are willfully ignorant on the subject.

Care to list the 1,000,000 other things that kill people? You may want to look up the definition of ignorant while you are at it.

 

[B1GTide]

Care to list the 1,000,000 other things that kill people? You may want to look up the definition of ignorant while you are at it.

Because it is okay that football kills people as long as other things do, too?

Willfully ignorant, not ignorant. Means that you are ignoring your own knowledge and understanding of a subject simply because it does not align with your world view or with your opinion.

 

[G-VilleTider]

If you guys don't think that football is killing people, you are willfully ignorant on the subject.

How many people die from football each year? Google says 12
How many people die from cows each year? Google says 22
Come on now, dogs, bees, cows, horses and even jogging all kill more.
Also from google "catastrophic head injuries per year: there were 0.67 injuries per 100,000 high school players and 0.21 injuries per 100,000 college players."

Statistically speaking, safer than riding in a car to school. Tragedies occur in everyday living, but I'm not gonna let a statistical outlier to influence overall perception of the inherent danger of football by using sensational tragic headlines. JMO

 

[davefrat]

Football is a dangerous sport and becoming more so it seems.

It looks like the size, speed and strength of the players has outstripped the ability of equipment to adequately protect them.

We don't know what caused this instant tragedy, but we can't ignore the deaths that we know are directly related to the game.

 

[B1GTide]

How many people die from football each year? Google says 12
How many people die from cows each year? Google says 22
Come on now, dogs, bees, cows, horses and even jogging all kill more.
Also from google "catastrophic head injuries per year: there were 0.67 injuries per 100,000 high school players and 0.21 injuries per 100,000 college players."

Statistically speaking, safer than riding in a car to school. Tragedies occur in everyday living, but I'm not gonna let a statistical outlier to influence overall perception of the inherent danger of football by using sensational tragic headlines. JMO

Includes the lives destroyed by football. The suicides. The head injuries. The spinal injuries. The various other injuries.

Maybe I should have said lives destroyed instead of limiting it to lives ended. Either way, I am glad that my boys chose not to play.