Understanding the Risks of Tackle Football for Your Child

In 2019, the last year for which reliable youth sports data is available, 8% of parents with children aged 5 to 18 reported that their kids’ preferred sport was tackle football. Given that this sport is predominantly played by boys, that translates to a significant number of young males participating in full-contact football. Although high school participation has been declining since 2008—sometimes sharply, with drops of over 20,000 players between 2016 and 2018—2019 only saw a slight decrease of 2,489 players. Overall, estimates suggest that approximately 1.5 million children between 13 and 17 played tackle football that year.

That’s a lot of kids taking a lot of hits.

According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, the modest decline in players since 2019 reflects growing parental confidence. They claim to have implemented rules across all states to limit contact during preseason and practice, along with concussion protocols and safety laws. Parents, they assert, are grateful for these efforts to minimize risk.

Pop Warner Football, with over 225,000 players aged 5 to 14 in 2019, has also established strict guidelines aimed at injury reduction. They report that adherence to their rules and “Heads-Up Football Training” has led to an 87% decrease in injuries. Notably, they were the first youth organization to limit practice contact to no more than 25%. They have also banned kickoffs for the youngest players and require medical clearance for any child suspected of having a head injury before returning to play. While Pop Warner offers flag football options, tackle football begins at age five.

The Impact on Young Brains

Research into high-impact exposure, concussions, and their effects on children’s brains is extensive. Numerous studies have utilized sensors mounted on children’s helmets to gauge impact levels and the frequency of hits. A 2019 study involving 29 boys aged 9-12 found no significant correlation between repetitive subconcussive impacts and neurobehavioral functioning. However, a subsequent 2020 study with 200 participants aged 9-13 reported negative cognitive changes in younger players who experienced higher levels of head impacts.

Another 2020 study published in PLOS Public Health indicated that, in the absence of concussion, children’s vision, hearing, and balance stayed stable over two seasons of tackle football. However, this is only true “in the absence of concussion.”

A 2019 article in The Journal of Pediatrics reported a 5% concussion rate among tackle football players aged 4-15. While half returned to school within three days, the same proportion was back to play within 13 days. Alarmingly, only 50% had reached a baseline of symptom-free status within three weeks, indicating lingering effects.

Are Kids in the Clear?

Not necessarily.

The concept of “head impact burden” refers to the frequency and severity of hits a child sustains, calculated cumulatively. Most studies rely on self-reports from players about the frequency and intensity of their hits, which can be inaccurate. A 2020 study found that middle schoolers had a higher head impact burden than high schoolers, with significant fluctuations from season to season. Children often struggle to accurately recall their hit frequency, and parents cannot predict it effectively.

Moreover, a 2019 study revealed that children engaged in tackle football were deliberately using their heads to strike opponents, with 80% of high-magnitude impacts being intentional. This behavior reflects an ingrained aspect of tackle football: someone is teaching these kids to hit this way. If such a high percentage of impacts are intentional, it points to an inherent risk within the sport.

For instance, one study indicated that 7-8 year-olds were struck an average of 104 times per season, while high school players averaged 565 hits. That’s undeniably a large number.

Long-Term Consequences

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a degenerative brain condition linked to repeated traumatic brain injuries, including concussions and subconcussive impacts. While it can affect anyone, athletes appear to be at greater risk. Research from Boston University found that starting tackle football before the age of 12 could lead to symptoms of CTE appearing as much as 13 years earlier.

Organizations like Pop Warner Football have implemented safety measures to limit contact. However, the risks associated with subconcussive impacts remain significant, and children continue to use their heads in intentional collisions.

The Aspen Institute reports that 63% of parents support establishing a minimum legal age for tackle football. In contrast, NCAA officials are hesitant to define what such a regulation would entail. For example, U.S. Soccer has banned heading for players under 10 and restricts it to practice only for those aged 11-13. Why is it acceptable for football players to endure high-impact hits but not soccer players?

Ultimately, while parents must make informed decisions regarding tackle football, the sport carries an inherent risk of concussions, which remain at about 5%—a figure that is high for any sport—and does not account for other potential injuries. Even with contact limited to 25% of practice time, young players still face over 100 hits per season. Studies have shown cognitive effects in 9-10 year-olds over just one season of play.

Tackle football may be enjoyable and somewhat safer than in the past. Nonetheless, it continues to pose significant risks for young athletes.

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Understanding the Risks of Tackle Football for Your Child

The Impact on Young Brains

Are Kids in the Clear?

Long-Term Consequences

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