Am I just being overprotective about my son's football team?

[golfgal]

No it is the specializing in one sport that does damage down the road, not 5 a days at the beg of a season.

We complain about kids not getting enough excercise, this is why.

We have had parent meetings with the coaches where all this has been explained over and over. Some parents had these EXACT concerns and this is how it was addressed. These guys have been coaching and or playing for years. DH played, he does not coach (does baseball bc it works better with work schedule) and this is how he explained it as well.

Fine but when you see middle school kids with ACL repairs, ankle braces on both ankles, icing shoulders after having torn Rotater Cuff injuries you will change your tune very quickly. Just because they have been coaching for "years" doesn't mean what they are doing is right. I have coached for almost 30 years and was an athletic trainer for a college and by the time some of these kids get to high school their bodies are so abused they can't play high school ball. Yes, specializing in one sport makes it worse but so does practicing too much for any sport.

See, the kids practice for 5 days/week for 2 hours for football, then do the same for basketball in the winter, then move on to baseball in the spring, never giving their bodies time to rest--oh, and then they double up on sports for several months because you know you have to start working out for football in March during baseball season or you won't be in shape for football, then basketball starts in August during football for a Nov season start. It is a never ending cycle. Until kids are in puberty this kind of abuse of their bodies is NOT good. No 8 or 9 year old NEEDS to practice this much, EVER, for any sport. Once they get into 7-8th grade, fine, but not when they are in 2nd grade.

My DD has a friend, they are 14 who had a "career" ending injury in 8th grade softball this past spring. That should NEVER happen at that age but between the soccer/basketball/softball practices going non-stop year round, she is done playing sports because her arm is mush. This happens ALL too often.

It used to be you MIGHT see ONE serious injury during a season in HIGH SCHOOL-a torn ACL or something similar. Now 1/2 the team has a brace on for something.

 

[Firedog]

You need to remember that playing football at this young age is much different than playing baseball or soccer. You can't just put little Johnny out in right field and hope he doesn't get hit with a ball.

If Johnny does not know how to properly play football, blocking and defending, there is a good possibility he could have his head taken off by an opposing player. Thus, training is quite more intensive than say baseball or soccer.

That being said, I will be the first to agree that there are way too many youth coaches/parents on a power trip that think if they have watched an NFL game or played Madden on X-box they can coach. I wish there was a way to weed out the folks who shouldn't be coaching.

The kids safety must come first. Period. Sometimes, what seems like excessive practicing/training is part of preparing this child for what he/she will see in a game.

 

[FayeW]

The day a coach verbally abuses my kid and makes him cry is the last day he will play for that coach. Period.

 

[ohiomom28]

My son plays as well and there are rules pertaining to the heat. If its over a certain temperature they practice but without full pads. I believe its 95º. I could be wrong. I understand it being his 1st year but thats how it is here too. They make them run, heat or not. It was 95 Saturday at his game and he was in full gear including thick black knee socks. They are required to have a water break more often though.

 

[N&B'smom]

One day my DS15 got in the car after weight training and started to cry. He still won't tell me what happened. All he would say is that his coach was verbally abusive to him that day. Unfortunately, it's just the way it is. My DS15 says his baseball coaches look tame compared to his football coaches.

Running a lap at practice is one thing, verbally abusing someone is another. I would have had a major problem with that, but understand that at your DS's age, he would not want you to get involved. Hugs to you and your DS!

 

[golfgal]

You need to remember that playing football at this young age is much different than playing baseball or soccer. You can't just put little Johnny out in right field and hope he doesn't get hit with a ball.

If Johnny does not know how to properly play football, blocking and defending, there is a good possibility he could have his head taken off by an opposing player. Thus, training is quite more intensive than say baseball or soccer.

That being said, I will be the first to agree that there are way too many youth coaches/parents on a power trip that think if they have watched an NFL game or played Madden on X-box they can coach. I wish there was a way to weed out the folks who shouldn't be coaching.

The kids safety must come first. Period. Sometimes, what seems like excessive practicing/training is part of preparing this child for what he/she will see in a game.

Sorry but this is a load of you know what. The most successful football coach EVER has no contact, no pad practices 4 days out of 5. They spend almost no time tackling in practice because it leads to too many injuries. He has more wins then any coach, EVER-he coaches at the college level. The football dynasty in our state (high school) practices with the same philosophy and they have won more games/state championships then any other school. Old school is that you have to bash each other around in practice-just not so.

 

[luvmy2boyzz]

See, the kids practice for 5 days/week for 2 hours for football, then do the same for basketball in the winter, then move on to baseball in the spring, never giving their bodies time to rest--oh, and then they double up on sports for several months because you know you have to start working out for football in March during baseball season or you won't be in shape for football, then basketball starts in August during football for a Nov season start. It is a never ending cycle. Until kids are in puberty this kind of abuse of their bodies is NOT good. No 8 or 9 year old NEEDS to practice this much, EVER, for any sport. Once they get into 7-8th grade, fine, but not when they are in 2nd grade.

My DD has a friend, they are 14 who had a "career" ending injury in 8th grade softball this past spring. That should NEVER happen at that age but between the soccer/basketball/softball practices going non-stop year round, she is done playing sports because her arm is mush. This happens ALL too often.

It used to be you MIGHT see ONE serious injury during a season in HIGH SCHOOL-a torn ACL or something similar. Now 1/2 the team has a brace on for something.

I don't know about where you are from but where I'm from they can't start practicing for football until the first Monday in August. We don't start basketball until the last week in October. Tackle football begins in 5th grade not before. If your DD's friend had a career ending injury at 14 because of playing soccer/basketball/softball, I'd blame that on the parents not the practice schedule. Why did she need to play all those sports? Football practice is HARD because it is a contact sport. I certainly don't want my DS getting hit by a 100 lb kid without the proper conditioning.

 

[Mkrop]

Fine but when you see middle school kids with ACL repairs, ankle braces on both ankles, icing shoulders after having torn Rotater Cuff injuries you will change your tune very quickly. Just because they have been coaching for "years" doesn't mean what they are doing is right. I have coached for almost 30 years and was an athletic trainer for a college and by the time some of these kids get to high school their bodies are so abused they can't play high school ball. Yes, specializing in one sport makes it worse but so does practicing too much for any sport.

See, the kids practice for 5 days/week for 2 hours for football, then do the same for basketball in the winter, then move on to baseball in the spring, never giving their bodies time to rest--oh, and then they double up on sports for several months because you know you have to start working out for football in March during baseball season or you won't be in shape for football, then basketball starts in August during football for a Nov season start. It is a never ending cycle. Until kids are in puberty this kind of abuse of their bodies is NOT good. No 8 or 9 year old NEEDS to practice this much, EVER, for any sport. Once they get into 7-8th grade, fine, but not when they are in 2nd grade.

My DD has a friend, they are 14 who had a "career" ending injury in 8th grade softball this past spring. That should NEVER happen at that age but between the soccer/basketball/softball practices going non-stop year round, she is done playing sports because her arm is mush. This happens ALL too often.

It used to be you MIGHT see ONE serious injury during a season in HIGH SCHOOL-a torn ACL or something similar. Now 1/2 the team has a brace on for something.

DS11 has played every sport according to the season. Sometimes on two teams. His only injury to date (knock wood) has been a dislocated finger during BASKETBALL. ( it was really gross btw, bent all the way back, I almost fainted in the stands seeing it). He also lost about 12 lbs and is in great shape now. And we are not even close to the gung ho sports people that most parents are in our area.

I would prefer my kids to practice and be prepared. So I guess we will have to agree to disagree.

 

[Rose&Mike]

I think in regards to concerns about the heat you are not being overprotective at all. We have a coach on trial here because a player died last year when practicing in the heat. There are lots of reports about what happened that day, but at the end of it all a family lost their son. Heat is nothing to mess around with. I would definitely be asking what the league policy is regarding heat/humidity and full pads/gear. Good luck to you. It's a fine line between being an overprotective parent and keeping your kid safe.

 

[S. C.]

Some of the older kids will drink those energy drinks before practice. Add the extreme heat to that and it can be very bad.