Football High

High school football has become an increasingly competitive sport in recent years. The games are more intense, the practices are more strenuous, and the players themselves are bigger and stronger. All of these factors have increased the possibility of injury. Scientists also are learning more about the long-term effects of concussion and other ailments that impact players. In this video chapter from Football High, students will examine the risks of brain injury in high school football.

Getting Started

For classrooms studying Health or Civics, this FRONTLINE teacher’s guide includes a set of themes and discussion questions to help students analyze and understand key current events. Watch the video clip and start a discussion on the culture of high school football and what research now shows about repeated blows to the head. Go further in this topic with the Football High Lesson Plan, in which students will evaluate whether a state law or local policy related to youth-sports concussions provides adequate protection to athletes.

 

Video Themes

  • More kids play football than any other sport — a million and counting across the country. In the last two decades, high school football has become more competitive, with larger players, more strenuous practices, and higher-stakes games.
  • With increased size and speed of players comes increased force on the field, which means a greater probability for concussions and other injuries.
  • A concussion is a brain injury caused by violent shaking or jarring of the head. Every year, high school football players in the U.S. get at least 60,000 concussions.
  • There is mounting evidence that repeated concussions can have a long-term effect on the brain, including increased risk of a disease called CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy), which can lead to depression and dementia, and has been cited as the reason behind the suicides of some former players.
  • CTE was thought to occur primarily in professional football players, but a recent study shows that even young players who may never have been diagnosed with concussion may be at risk.

 

Discussion Questions

  • What are traumatic brain injury and CTE? What causes them? What are their long-term effects?
  • What kind of team or player is likely to succeed in the high school football environment described in the video? How might the culture of high school football today contribute to the possibility of injury?
  • Would you risk brain injury for the experience of playing football? Why or why not?
  • In the United States, more high school students play football than any other sport. What can we do to keep football fun and challenging, but make it safer?
  • As the film portrays, the desire to win in high school sports can sometimes be at odds with the health and well-being of the athletes. What do you think should be the goal of high school sports? Do you think it should be different from college or professional sports?

 

Go Further

Football High Lesson Plan: “Heads Up”

Web-exclusive Resources:
Attention: Players, Parents, Coaches
Interview: Tom Talavage

 

Credits:

Developed by:
Cari Ladd, M.Ed., is an educational writer with a background in secondary education and media development. Previously, she served as PBS Interactive’s director of education, overseeing the development of curricular resources tied to PBS programs, the PBS TeacherSource website (now PBS Teachers), and online teacher professional development services. She has taught in Maryland and Northern Virginia.

 

Written by:
Leslie Comnes, M.A., is an education writer specializing in teaching materials that focus on topical issues in environmental education, science and social science. In addition to FRONTLINE, she has written for Project Learning Tree, the Center for Ecoliteracy, the Council for Environmental Education and many other national organizations.

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