7th high school football player dead this year

That’s right, the 7^th death of a high school football player this year. The causes of these deaths range from head injuries to heat strokes.

This just makes me think of my youngest cousin, he played football for a while when he was younger but then, he got a broken arm during one of the games. That’s when my aunt and uncle said, that’s it, no more football. He was in elementary school. if he got a broken arm, just playing football in elementary school, the injuries would get worse as he grew up.

Players face all kinds of injuries during football games, and it has been said that the amount of injuries now, has gone down since the 70’s and 80’s, but it doesn’t mean they have stopped.

It’s incredible how there seems to be a lot of knowledge as to what can be the consequences of getting tackled, hit, falling or any other accident during a football game; but there are only excuses for not doing something about it.

According to a CNN article, nearly 70% of high school athletes with concussions played despite their symptoms, and 40% reported that their coaches didn’t know of the injury, according to a 2014 study in the American Journal of Sports Medicine”. Why were these students allowed or asked to play despite their concussions. Why and how didn’t their coaches know?

First of all, coaches should know about their student athlete’s ability or inability to play and they should not push them to play after a concussion. Second, where are schools’, the student’s and their parents’ priorities? The game is not that important.

I have already written about this but when I see an article about this, it hurts. There is a lot of knowledge about the consequences of playing football, but I am still chocked that more isn’t done. They should consider stronger headgear, less aggressiveness during the game and/or tougher rules to prevent injuries?

I know these things are not done purposely, but I think putting people lives at risk should not be part of any sport. Maybe the intensity of the game can be taken down a bit, changing some rules, mandatory medical checkups, design better protective gear, speak out when something feels wrong and compulsory coach and staff training and knowledge of health issues related to the sport.

A player’s life is worth much more than a game.

High school football player Andre Smith dies in Illinois

Deadly month in high school football