Illinois passes bill banning tackle football until 12, others likely to follow

Sometimes, life has tough issues to tackle -- in more ways than one.

Quite the bombshell was dropped when a bill banning tackle football for children
under the age of 12 passed out of committee, and is now set to be called for a
vote in the Illinois House of Representatives.

House Bill 4341, which would create the CTE Prevention Act, passed out of the
House Mental Health Committee on an 11-9 on Thursday. State Rep. Carol Sente,
D-Vernon Hills, filed the bill Jan. 25.

The bill would prevent kids under the age of 12 from participating in any “tackle
football offered by an organized youth sports program.”

The ban would cover public and private schools, athletic associations and park
districts, among other organizations.

Children under 12 would, however, be allowed to play flag and touch football, as
well as “all other athletic activities offered by an organized youth sports program.”

Sente has dubbed the bill the “Dave Duerson Act” after the former Chicago Bears
player who committed suicide in 2011. After his death, it was determined Duerson
was suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE.

Illinois is among only four states to introduce legislation regulating tackle football,
according to ESPN. The others are New York, California and Maryland. Could more
states follow suit? Perhaps so.

As I look at this issue in a vacuum, I can hear the grovels on both extremes. The
overprotective parents will say, “It’s about time they did something.” The
old-schoolers will grovel with, “The wussification of America.”

Those in the latter camp, however, lose credibility when saying that it is strictly
overprotective parents not wanting their sons to play football that are driving this
movement. There are also numerous retired NFL players that have openly said
they would not want their sons playing football including Troy Aikman, Bart Scott,
Adrian Peterson, Terry Bradshaw, Drew Brees, and Brett Favre. All but two of
such players are quarterbacks but none are/were shrinking violets.

Personally, I don’t see an upside or downside to banning tackle football until age 12.
It simply reflects having more information available and adjusting with the times
accordingly. There are youth soccer leagues that do not allow headers for kids
under 11 and there are hockey leagues that do not allow body checking. There are
little league organizations that do not allow pitchers to throw curveballs.

My first reaction is, “Doesn’t the government have bigger things to address?” Aren’t
these decisions better left in the hands of parents? Plus, the parents have the
freedom to choose whether or not they want their kid to play football. After all, this
is the United States of America even though political acrimony makes it resemble
Divided States but I digress.

The sport of football has received much negative attention on the national level.

The reasons are semi-vast including various retired players having been diagnosed
with head trauma that includes but is not limited to early onset of dementia as a
result of concussions suffered in their playing days.

It is also widely believed that head trauma led to the death of former All-Pro
linebacker Junior Seau, who committed suicide, in 2013.

In a sense, I would contend part of the problem that precipitated throughout the
years was that television highlight shows would promote blow up shots rather than
textbook tackles. It makes sense because sensationalized blow up shots sell
viewership and perhaps led youngsters to emulate such acts. Textbook tackles are
viewed as ordinary.

I am all in favor of educating proper techniques. Youngsters need to understand that
just because they are wearing pads and helmets, they are not invincible. The
problem lies in that just because your kid operates with proper fundamentals, does
not mean a kid he makes contact with will do the same.

There are some youth football leagues that promote tackle football by the age of 5.
That age is way too soon in my judgment. I can’t speak for other areas of the country
but here in Northern California, the common age range has been beginning at third
grade, where most youngsters are 9. To that end, wouldn’t it make sense to get rid
of leagues that promote tackle football at 5? Why then should we move the age to
12? Isn’t that why we have weight limits? Although, I would contend that colliding
with a slow 145-pounder is less of a concern that a 115-pound heat-seeking missile.

I have even heard arguments that kids should not be allowed to play tackle football
until high school. Recently, former NFL linebackers Harry Carson, Nick Buoniconti
and Phil Villapiano, the Concussion Legacy Foundation launched the “Flag Football
Under 14.”

Though I respect the views of Carson, Buoniconti and Villapiano, 14 would be too
late. I can rationalize moving the age to 12 but I think a youngster should at least
have a taste of tackle football before he gets to high school.

When I first started hearing arguments of banning tackle football until certain ages,
I became dismissive, “Overprotective, wussification of America” but when I hear
retired NFL players expressing their concerns, I became more receptive because
they played the game at levels most of us can only dream.

I have a 9-year old son and I love football. I played three years in high school and
would not have reservations about him playing. However, I’m going to let him make
that call.

In my previous career as a sports reporter, I heard two arguments from parents and
football. Some wanted their sons to get exposure to youth so they would understand
it better in high school. Others would not want their son playing until high school if
at all. I have yet to see evidence of what approach works better.

The younger levels of youth football, I can live with eliminating tackle football but by
sixth grade they should be getting exposure tacking. It’s simple, you have to practice
a skill in order to get better. At the younger level I’d be in favor of tackling with shells
and no helmets. Pads and helmets make a kid think they are bulletproof.