In 1869, the first ever football game was recorded. Later, the National Football League (NFL) was formed in 1920. Football is a team sport played with 11 players on each team on a 100 yard field with the objective of scoring touchdowns or field goals. Since then, millions have played the sport, both recreationally and professionally. However, over the years the long term effects of playing football from a young age have become obvious. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is a brain condition that develops after multiple head injuries. CTE causes major damage and permanent decay of brain cells, leading to changes in mental health, such as suicidal thoughts and depression. CTE can never be diagnosed when someone is still alive, causing the people with the condition to be unaware of their illness. It is most prevalent in former football players, however, it can also be found in players of other aggressive contact sports like hockey. Additionally those who began playing football at a young age are more likely to get it, due to constant head injuries starting before their brains were fully developed.
A number of former NFL players have been diagnosed with CTE after their deaths. Before death, most of the players reported the common symptoms related to the disease. An extreme example is former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez. Hernandez was arrested after three seasons in the NFL for murdering three people. On April 19, 2017, Hernandez committed suicide and after an autopsy of his brain, he was found to have stage three CTE. The first stage contains short-term memory loss, mild depression and light aggression. Stage two contains severe outbursts and depression, stage three contains memory loss and aggression and stage four contains all previous symptoms along with paranoia. Hernandez’s brain damage was so severe that his level had not been previously seen in the brain of anyone under 46 years old. Hernandez had played football starting in childhood and through college, which scientists have concluded is the reason for his brain damage.
Another common injury attained by football players are concussions. Similar to CTE, a concussion is a head injury which is caused by brain impact in which the brain rapidly moves back and forth. After one gets a concussion, they become susceptible to getting them more frequently. In some cases, repeated concussions in children can not fully heal, leading to brain swelling, brain damage and problems in long term cognitive ability.
Injuries acquired in football are not only head related. Some other football induced injuries are Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) tears, shoulder injuries, sprains and fractures. ACL tears in children can affect growth and can lead to muscle tearing in other body parts. These injuries can lead to athletes having to quit sports to heal, causing mental health issues or any other further medical issues.
It is suggested to wait to have kids play tackle football until ages 12-14, as the brain is more susceptible to damage before and during that age. Waiting to enroll in the sport can help prevent long term injuries from occurring earlier on. Flag football is an alternative to tackle football that children can play safely without getting as many injuries, as there is no tackling involved. Flag football is a good way for children who enjoy football to play it safely and socialize with others their age.
Overall, playing football from a young age can detrimentally affect many aspects of young athletes’ lives. Many injuries, both mental and physical, can be obtained from playing the sport. If able, the sport should be avoided altogether in order to protect the wellbeing of young athletes.
