Is Youth Football Too Dangerous?

1. Set Focus
Frame the inquiry with these essential questions: What makes an activity too risky to participate in? Who gets to decide that it’s too risky?

2. Read and Discuss
Have students read the debate and then answer the following questions:

• What is the issue being debated? How does it relate to current events? (The issue is whether football is too unsafe for kids to play the sport. Recent severe injuries to two players in the pro league have renewed the debate about the dangers of youth football.)

• Evaluate why these two authors might be interested in and qualified to comment on this issue. (Chris Nowinski is a neuroscientist who co-founded and leads a foundation that promotes sports safety and concussion research. Jon Butler is the executive director of one of the largest youth football organizations in the country.)  

• Analyze Nowinski’s view. (Nowinski argues that football is too dangerous for kids. He says that youth players average 389 hits to the head each season and that repeated hits can cause brain injuries, which can lead to depression, paranoia, and dementia. He also says that it’s not fair to enroll kids in football when they are too young to understand the risks.)

• Analyze Butler’s view. (Butler argues that football is not too dangerous for kids. He says that advances in sports education, equipment, and safety protocols make football safer than ever, and he gives examples of protocols that reduce hits to the head. He also says that any physical activity, even a non-contact sport, has safety risks.)

4. Writing Prompt
In an essay, evaluate one of the debaters’ arguments. Assess whether the reasoning is valid and whether it’s supported with evidence. Point out biases or missing information.

5. Classroom Debate
Is youth football too dangerous? Have students use the authors’ ideas, as well as their own, in a debate. 

6. Vote
Go online to vote in Upfront’s poll—and see how students across the country voted.