[oldschool77]

I will respectfully offer a different opinion to football1. I grew up a poor kid but from good hard-working family. I absolutely loved the game. I decided I wanted to continue to play at a small college. I knew the college I was going to was a good academic school, but I went there so I could play; plain and simple. I could have went to a bigger school and not played and I would have graduated with a degree. However, because I was at the small "academic" school I was around many peers that were going to professional schools after college. I realized that I had the ability to do the same. I am a professional now. I became something more than I had ever thought I could as a teenager. This is a direct result of my love for the game. I realize that every child is not cut out to be a doctor, lawyer, or engineer. But if I can instill the love of the game into them as a volunteer coach, maybe they will love it enough to play through college and earn a degree. In my community this is one potential means to pull them out of the drug infested, poverty stricken, and unmotivated areas that they come from. The program I am a part of teaches life through football. If they never play through high school, at least they have been told about hard work, perseverance, honesty, and integrity. These are many values that some of them are not exposed to at home. I had injuries, even had surgeries as a result, but I have a life that I would never have had if not for the game of football.

[johnnyd]

I will respectfully offer a different opinion to football1. I grew up a poor kid but from good hard-working family. I absolutely loved the game. I decided I wanted to continue to play at a small college. I knew the college I was going to was a good academic school, but I went there so I could play; plain and simple. I could have went to a bigger school and not played and I would have graduated with a degree. However, because I was at the small "academic" school I was around many peers that were going to professional schools after college. I realized that I had the ability to do the same. I am a professional now. I became something more than I had ever thought I could as a teenager. This is a direct result of my love for the game. I realize that every child is not cut out to be a doctor, lawyer, or engineer. But if I can instill the love of the game into them as a volunteer coach, maybe they will love it enough to play through college and earn a degree. In my community this is one potential means to pull them out of the drug infested, poverty stricken, and unmotivated areas that they come from. The program I am a part of teaches life through football. If they never play through high school, at least they have been told about hard work, perseverance, honesty, and integrity. These are many values that some of them are not exposed to at home. I had injuries, even had surgeries as a result, but I have a life that I would never have had if not for the game of football.

And one guy that gets out can change hundreds of lives. Now could you have went to Boy Scouts and done the same.... maybe but that was the way it happened

[Granny Bear]

That is a beautiful testimony oldschool77!

[papagrit]

I know of Football1's situation and have great sympathy/empathy for and with him. He has two fine boys that have put in their athletic time and I hate for both of them as well as for their father that their athletic experience hasn't been more postive. I'm pretty sure he knows that I really mean that.
I grew up on a tobacco farm with my family and a father who worked hard in a factory all my life and a mother who was a teacher. My brother, who also played football and was seven years older than I was probably was the biggest influence in my life. He introduced me to the organized sport and I was hooked as a sixth grader. I played for seven years and had small colleges interested in me but I wanted to got to EKU and was just too small for a lineman there at 6'2" and 165 at the end of my senior year of football. (I was 6'3 and 245 by the end of my senior year of school.) The teams that I played for weren't very good, but man, I sure loved the sport and cherish the memories I made with my buddies.
During my time as a parent and player I have watched so many kids around the sport that have been on that hairy edge of life choices and were in danger of going bad. But, the camaraderie of being around other football players and being part of a team kept them from falling off that edge and kept them on the straight and narrow path. I have seen boys that probably would have started down the path of drugs, whoring around and quitting school that probably wouldn't have done nearly as well in life if not for football and finding a purpose in their young lives. I remember one of those boys that played with my eldest son was an "on the edge" boy crying on Bell County's field after we lost there in the playoffs after his senior year and he wailed, "Football is over....What am I going to do now???". He now has a young daughter and seems to be on the right track and has worked where I currently work now for a spell before moving on to greener pastures. That kid had a rough life and one of the old football coaches took him under their wing and practically fathered him through his high school life where he didn't have much parental support. Football can bind guys together for lifetime friendships and I for one have mostly all positive feeling for the game myself.
I have also seen the ill effects of football on kids who were pushed too far and too hard. I've seen kids encouraged by poor parenting to take medicine to get them through a game when they were hurt. I've seen coaches that scream and cuss to the point the kid just can't stand it and wants to quit ALL sports after burning out. I've watched "has beens" that were pumped up during their athletic career "deflate" like a balloon during their senior year after their football career was over and I know that their parents have something to do with that. I've seen some other pretty rotten things as a football parent/player that I'm just not going to list and it's a real shame that football has that side to it.
But football is much like school and life in general. You get out of it what you put into it. My two sons knew their priorities in life should be God, family, school and athletics. I grew up with a little different priority list than my sons with farm in front of athletics. Both of my boys had instilled into them that academics comes in front of athletics. They each finished #1 and #2 in their respective classes of about 180/200. They put in the work in the class room and they put in the work on the field. They both have positive attitudes about football because for the most part they had good coaches that not only were coaches, but, good guys as well. I as a parent have been very fortunate that they both stayed off the edge of going the wrong way. But football has been a positive experience for both of them, through the good times, the bad and of course some injuries. I feel that football is a positive influence in most kids lives for these reasons and I the memories that I have of the sport are priceless to me as I suspect they are to my kids as well.

[Scotty_Bronson]

Just now saw this. First of all, Kudos to the guy for having the ability to do this in a respectful way. Mind you, I disagree, but not whole completely.

A team, no matter the sport or age level, takes on the personality of their coach(s). If a child is brought up in a positive system, with positive role models, that arent just there for the sport, but for the kids more than anything, the child will likely benefit from it. Read the countless testimonies of not only NFL players, but the CEOs, Doctors, Lawyers, Teachers, and countless others that will credit their drive and desire to what they learned from playing football.

On the other hand, there are kids who are brought up in a system of constant herassment, degrading, lack of school support, lack of leadership, "win at all costs", "if we are losing it was taken from us", these kids see the ugly side of it and rarely do they learn to understand what it means to be lead by someone, and then adopt the mentality of, playing or living with integrity, class, respect and seeing the bigger picture of the team's success outwaying the individual accomplishments.

No matter the age level from flag-varsity, the growth and development of not just some kid as a player, but guiding and teaching young men, should be first and foremost. If a kid is brought up in a system that practices these things, I dont see how they can do anything but gain from it. Sadly though, that isnt always the case. So i see both sides to the argument. Good idea for a thread, imo.

[Football1]

I appeciate all the responses. Please understand - I did not have a bad experience with football. I had great coaches and so did my sons. I chose to post my perspective here becasue at this point in life I honestly think there are better ways a young man can invest his time to build his body, mind, and soul. Maybe I'm wrong. I don't claim to have all the answers. But I stand firm here and am happy I got to share what I know is not a popular perspective. If nothing else I hope folks who read this will be aware that there is a white underbelly to football that can be detrimental to your son.

[WhyLie]

I agree, but that is an individual choice. If my son loved the game I would not deprive him of the opportunity to participate on any of the reasons posted here. If he wants to figure skate then he can. I want him to be happy with is choices when it comes to his life. I would not hold him from sports because of fear of injury and my own reasoning.

[Jackson Purchase]

Broke my arm as a freshman in high school playing football. Damaged the Radial Nerve and lost about 50 % of the function in my left hand. Would not change it for anything! The brotherhood, the friendships made and sustained through that locker room are forged in stone. I still dream of being on that field one last time, I never played again. My child plays and its his choice. How many things can you look back on 30 years later and truly miss? How many memories are burned into your brain that you can recall with vivid detail? You had a bad experience or just the wrong experience. You can get hurt doing anything. Just last week we had a division 1 baseball recruit break a bone in his leg dunking in warm ups. No contact, nothing. Came down wrong and played the 1st half. Now he's out at least a month. Let your kids make there choices. Every sport is dangerous....everyone one.

[proud44pirate]

Jumperdogpete one day a couple of the guys will get their balls out of their wife's purse and realize how dumb they sound.

[Footballfan64]

This has been a huge struggle for me...I've coached for 18 years, 7 as a head coach 2 in college...I have 2 boys that I don't think I will let play football. I have had a lot of injuries that has taken a lot of my quality of life....only through the grace of God have I made it this far in life. I had over 10 concussions that have been documented (probably many more that are undocumented). Football has given me a lot but at the same time it has taken a lot from me. I don't agree that football distracts you from life and what is important...in fact it helped me realize how to lead my life in the right way...perseverance, team work, dedication, love for those who you work with and much much more. However, the things I suffer from on a daily basis is too much for me to ignore and to put that on my children would be negligence. I love them too much to have them to go through what I am now.

My question is will you not let them play or will you discourage them from playing. If not either of those just stay neutral. What if they beg you to play will you say no to that 7th or 8th graders or even freshman. At what point will you let the young man make a decision? Will you let them Drive that is as dangerous in itself. Just wondering I love football and 2 of my boys played and 2 didn't but they made the choice not I. 1 of the 2 that played played in high school but not persusing it it college but he said he wouldn't have traded it for anything. The other end is still playing and his future isn't set. We all know they can be seriously injured but that can happen at anytime by any number of ways. Just my 2 cents for what it's worth.

[Bob Seger]

You think - I will put him in football and he will learn respect and teamwork... maybe. But beware. Football may be what distracts your son from all that matters. Don't buy the lie. I had two sons dedicated to the sport. And by most measures they were awesome. Sacks, blocks, big scores and big numbers - they did it all. But to what end?

Trust me dad. Take all the time you would have your son practice "hitting them in the mouth" and get him to read to you out loud. Teach him to understand literature and forget a sport that hands out concussions and teaches them to a locker room culture that will defeat them in life not propel them forward. Sure, there are exceptions - Jeffery Canady's and Ben Lakes who rise above it. But for the masses - football is a failure socially and ethically.

I certainly respect your perspective more than you'll ever know..I don't know you personally, but I certainly do know who you are and who your sons are..It takes a mighty big man to actually come out with what you are saying based on you and your son's experience and resume....I'll share my sentiments in a later post as I don't have the time right at this moment. I just couldn't read this post and not comment on it..

[Sykotyk]

You think - I will put him in football and he will learn respect and teamwork... maybe. But beware. Football may be what distracts your son from all that matters. Don't buy the lie. I had two sons dedicated to the sport. And by most measures they were awesome. Sacks, blocks, big scores and big numbers - they did it all. But to what end?

Trust me dad. Take all the time you would have your son practice "hitting them in the mouth" and get him to read to you out loud. Teach him to understand literature and forget a sport that hands out concussions and teaches them to a locker room culture that will defeat them in life not propel them forward. Sure, there are exceptions - Jeffery Canady's and Ben Lakes who rise above it. But for the masses - football is a failure socially and ethically.

[Image: http://e.lvme.me/fjn4o4h.jpg]

[Gitback Coach]

Timing and circumstances vary so drastically across locations and time that all experiences differ.

For instance, I played for one of the most successful high school programs in the state, I forged life-long memories and relationships that I wouldn't trade for the world. Fast-forward 30 years, and the same program is a dumpster fire that my teen son wants nothing to do with. I couldn't respect his decision more.

When managed correctly, football can still provide so many beneficial experieriences, so I hope it survives. I can't currently say that I'm all that hopeful about its future, though.

[BlackcatsFan1993]

These mountain kids always have football to teach and guide them through life when there isn't a father doing the right thing.

[mysonis55]

Well, that's funny. I thought football did wonders for my boy as did baseball. They taught him discipline, team work, work ethic and built his confidence. My son was a 3 year starter for varsity football and 1 year starter for jv. He has already started 5 years of varsity baseball as well. The structure kept him out of trouble as well as teaching him the things that I mentioned. He is a straight A student and has a high ACT score. He earned a large portion of a scholarship for academics and more for football. So, I would say it is not a lie.