Youth football deaths highlight athletes’ tough choices

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Youth football deaths highlight athletes’ tough choices

DOWNLOAD VIDEO The recent deaths of three high school football players have shined a spotlight on the potential dangers of sports injuries. Student Reporting Labs, a program that trains students in video journalism, spoke with the football team at T.C. Williams High School in Virginia about the issues. “It will definitely bring awareness to every football team across the nation, because that’s something that no team would ever want to have to deal with,” said senior Brianna Smith, a kicker on the team. It’s a conversation players are having with parents and coaches. “My mom just really, she thinks twice about signing the paper when she has to. So, really signs it because she realized that football helps me keep my grades up, and I wouldn’t be doing the wrong things outside of school,” said Rayjon Jones, an offensive tackle, who has suffered two concussions. To prevent injury, students need to keep focusing on the right way to tackle, said Smith, such as Heads Up and other strategies. Coaches should also teach players about the signs and symptoms of concussions so that they can identify injuries on the field, according to Steven Broglio, director of the NeuroSport Research Laboratory at the University of Michigan. In spite of the risks attached to playing football, students receive a number of benefits from participating in sports, including lessons in teamwork, work ethic and higher performance in school, Broglio said. “I think the benefits that young people get from participating in sports, whether it’s football or soccer or anything, far outweigh the risks that they might have or might incur with a concussion,” he said.