Recently, the buzz around kids playing tackle football has been at an all time high. California State Assembly Member and Democrat Kevin McCarty proposed a bill to ban tackle football for youth up until age 12, with the idea being that kids will still be able to obtain two to three years of tackle football experience before they start high school.
However, Governor Gavin Newsom objected. He believes that regulating youth tackle football to keep kids safe is important, but that “an outright ban is not the answer” according to news sources.
Football player Ezekiel Pfeffer ’24 said, “I wholeheartedly believe that football, especially youth football, is one of the most important sports that one could participate in. Not only is football a great sport to stay in shape and meet new people, but it’s an amazing medium to make long lasting connections between people, and it is also a great way for people, especially children, to learn hard work and discipline.”
Prior to this proposed bill, Newsom and the California legislature had already addressed the issue of youth participation in tackle football. Newsom signed a bill in 2021 to limit youth teams to just two full-contact practices per week of no more than 30 minutes each during the regular season.
The bill also required coaches to educate players and parents about head injuries and concussions that could ensue from playing.
Still, a nationwide shift away from youth tackle football is growing. The concerns of permanent brain damage caused from the rough nature of the game have aided in causing the number of teenagers in California playing tackle football to drop by 18 percent from 2015 to 2022, with only a tiny increase in 2023.
Additionally, flag football has been on the rise. The sport is endorsed by the NFL and set to be an official Olympic event in the 2028 Los Angeles games.
Additionally, flag football has been on the rise. The sport is endorsed by the NFL and set to be an official Olympic event in the 2028 Los Angeles games.
Former NFL tight end Rob Gronkowski said to FOX Business’ Liz Claman, “What I would propose and what I think should be marketed out there more is flag football. These kids should be playing flag football.”
He added, “You can still garner the attention of the game of football. You can still also learn the game of football. You can also develop your skills of the game of football through flag football.”
Critics of the bill believe it restricts the freedom of children to participate in tackle football, and infringes on the parents’ right to allow their children to play the game.
According to the article “California Gov. rejects Proposed Ban on Youth Tackle Football,” football coaches, children and Republican lawmakers gathered at the state Capitol to celebrate the bill’s demise, with one child holding as sign declaring,“Let us play.”
Riordan Head Football Coach Adhir Ravipati also disagrees with the bill.
“I believe there is a safety conversation to be had about youth in general, obviously with football organization and structure but other head impact sports such as soccer, lacrosse, of practices games, and organizations.”
He added, “That being said, I will not support a ban on youth tackle football as it is a safe space for many kids across the country
to avoid issues at home and in their communities, as well as gives them positive team experiences with potentially strong role models in their life.”
Whether this bill will be revisited, the nationwide debate of letting American youth play tackle football is an undeniably important topic. No matter how policies affect the sport, it will be interesting to see what direction youth football will take in the future.
