Football saw the greatest increase in young participation in 2017, according to a survey commissioned by the sport’s governing body in the United States of America.
Wide receiver Martavis Bryant (10) of the Pittsburgh Steelers runs against strong safety T.J. Ward (43) of the Denver Broncos in the third quarter of their AFC Divisional Round playoff game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on January 20, 2019. It is important that Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports be given credit for this content.
However, the no-tackle version of the game saw the most expansion, which may indicate concerns about the potential for injury. The youth football leagues are important in this progress.
On Monday, USA Football claimed that participation in flag and tackle football climbed in 2015, citing the findings of a survey of 30,000 children and teenagers that found participation in most other sports, with the exception of baseball, fell.
The Flag Football Option
Flag football (which does not include any tackling) saw an 8.7 percent rise in involvement among children ages 6 to 14, while contact football had a 1.9 percent increase in the same age range. Only baseball had an increase in involvement among persons of that age, and that was by a much smaller 3.3%. In all, 102 sports were included in the survey’s questions.
There was a 10.5% rise in flag football and a 2.5% increase in contact football among those aged 15-18. Third place went to basketball, which had an increase of 1.1% overall. Participation rates dropped across the board for sports.
Football may be on the upswing, but it has some ground to make up on other sports. Boys’ tackle football participation rate A lot of other sports had far higher participation percentages than football (15%), including basketball (34.5%), soccer (29.5%), baseball (25.4%), swimming (24.5%), and running (18.5 percent).
Changing demographics and parental concerns about their children’s safety may explain the waning interest in football in one of the nation’s most profitable markets. Coaches and league administrators are hoping that the return of clubs like the Rams and Chargers and the excitement around this year’s Super Bowl in Inglewood, California will keep young people engaged in football with the youth football teams.
These findings come at a time of heightened awareness of the risks associated with popular youth sports like football and hockey, where doctors have warned of the increased likelihood of concussions and even death from brain trauma.
An ESPN poll taken in 2014 by espnW and the Aspen Institute found that 89.1% of parents are concerned about their children being hurt while playing sports.
According to USA Football, a charity based in Indianapolis, Indiana, that gets money in part from the National Football League, the gains were attributable to enhanced safety and health education.
Ivy League schools were the first to seek a ban on tackling in practise this year in an effort to protect its student-athletes from harm.
Last Words
The 2015 film “Concussion,” starring Will Smith, was pivotal in starting a nationwide conversation about the dangers of football. A Nigerian pathologist challenged the National Football League with his research on the brain damage experienced by professional football players.
