Before we begin this article allow me to lay out my football background. I played varsity football for 3 years in high school and earned a scholarship to a Division I mid major university where I played 2 years earning a conference title along the way. I did not start playing from a young age and the quality of play in high school was pretty weak (as far as how good my team and our opponents were). That being said I still understand the culture that is laid out there nationwide and at all levels that must being to change. Let it be known I am not and advocate for "watering down" the game but I do understand that there must be a change.
The recent tragic suicides along with the debilitating damage done to the older retired NFL players has come to light more than ever in recent years. The NFLs new found emphasis on player safety and crackdown on head blows is not enough in the fight for improving the games safety while keeping its integrity intact. For anyone who plays the great game of football they clearly understand the risks involved. On any given play one bad hit can cost you your ability to walk or even your life. Even the workouts associated with getting ready to play the game can be life threatening if your health is not properly monitored or you are not physically prepared. All of this brings me to this argument; the issue with football at all levels is not the blows but with the culture of playing hurt.
It is seen at all levels the idea of the player "toughing it out" or "walking it off". I have seen players risk life and limb for the sake of playing the game. Its not just playing with concussions, its all injuries. In this country we herald an athlete a hero if he walks back on the field of play with an injury and wins. It is to the point where I honestly believe that certain injuries are inflated (at the professional level) just for the drama of seeing a player return to the field a warrior. This is where I believe we go wrong as players, coaches and fans. I have heard from my own coaches the idea of laying your body on the line and sacrificing oneself. I have seen teammates suffer physically altering injuries just to avoid surgery so as to stay on the field. Even the simplest of injuries can create long term damaging effects if not properly treated and exposed to further damage. Across all sports athletes have shortened their careers and ability to walk in the future by playing through pain. When it comes to the head blows and brain trauma you just may be shortening your life or degrading your quality of living in the future.
It is one thing when you see this behavior at the professional level where they make millions to sacrifice themselves. However I find it sad when its the high school player sacrificing his body just to play or just for a chance to get to the next level. The college athlete giving his all just to earn his school and conference millions while he plays for an education and the slim chance at the pros is just as sad. These examples are sad because no matter how much love and passion you have for the game it is still a game. Not everyone makes the Varsity team in high school, of those only a handful will go on to play in college and of them only a chosen few will ever sniff the NFL, and finally Even at the NFL level even less will play longer than 4 years.
I remember back when "water was for the weak", coaches actually frowned upon excessive water drinking during practice. Then a string of nationally publicized deaths from heat stroke including NFL lineman Korey Stringer started to change hearts and minds. We stand on this precipice again with this "warrior" culture, let these tragedies be not in vain. I believe that football should be played with passion, give it your all, but when your hurt your hurt, when your out your out, let the game be a game.There is nothing wrong or soft or weak about getting proper treatment and rest for an injury or properly identifying one in the first place. This is being intelligent about your own well being not weak. At the end of the day you are just a player and can be replaced in a heartbeat at all levels, so guard yourself because nobody knows you like you.
