If a youngster chooses to play tackle football, there are going to be bumps and bruises, and probably a few tears, but the risk of major injury is relatively low.
“The truth is, little kids usually aren’t going to hurt each other because, well, they’re still pretty little and they just aren’t that aggressive yet,” said Dr. Brooke Pengel, medical director for sports medicine at Children’s Hospital.
Former Rockies shortstop Walt Weiss, who has coached tackle football in the Arapahoe Youth League for six years, said he also believes serious injuries are rare.
“The collisions really aren’t high speed enough at that age to do any serious damage,” Weiss said. “I’m not saying it can’t happen, but generally speaking I haven’t seen it. Our kids are in the seventh grade and they are big-time hitting now, but I haven’t seen terrible injuries. I have seen a broken hand, but that’s as serious as I’ve seen.”
Data supports their positions. A 2002 study by the Mayo Clinic found that for athletes in grades four through eight, the risk of injury in youth tackle football was no greater than the risk associated with other recreational or competitive sports. The study also stated that older players in higher grades are more susceptible to injuries. For instance, the risk of injury for an eighth-grade player was four times greater than the risk of injury for a fourth-grade player. The study cited increased size, strength, speed and aggressiveness as likely factors.
Pengel said the chances of a catastrophic injury in youth football – like the life-threatening spinal cord injury Buffalo Bills tight end Kevin Everett suffered in a game against the Broncos in the season opener Sept. 9 – are slim. However, she cautions that parents and coaches must be on high alert for head injuries.
“Children’s necks and spines are relatively more flexible than an adult’s, but concussions are much more likely to be a big deal with kids,” she said. “They are susceptible to concussions and it takes a bit longer for them to heal. So any head injury has to be identified and respected. A concussion in a young person can be disastrous if it goes unnoticed and untreated.”
That said, Pengel has no qualms about youngsters playing tackle football. In fact, she said there are long-term benefits to an early start.
“If you teach kids how to tackle properly from the get-go and teach them the proper fundamentals, you’re much less likely to have head and neck injuries,” she said.
But how young is too young for tackle football? It all depends on the child, Pengel said.
“Every 5- or 6-year-old kid is different,” she said. “You have to keep in mind that their bodies, and even their vision, are still developing at that age. The important thing is that the officials pay attention to the rules and the weight limits.”
