Proposed bill in California would ban organized tackle football before high school
Has football become too dangerous for adolescent athletes? Some lawmakers in California believe the answer is yes.
This week in California, two lawmakers — Kevin McCarty and Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher — have proposed a statewide ban on organized tackle football until high school. Their reasoning for the proposed ban? They cite the health risks young athletes face when playing football during a time of their life when the brain continues to be developed.
“The science is clear: head injuries sustained at a young age can harm kids for the rest of their lives,” Gonzalez Fletcher said in a statement, according to Patrick McGreevy of the Los Angeles Times. “Developing skills through flag football before high school is sound public policy from a health and safety standpoint.”
The lawmakers also took note that several NFL legends, such as Jerry Rice, Walter Payton, Lawrence Taylor, and Tom Brady, started playing football using non-contact methods. Given their success in college and the NFL, it stands to reason that development on the field isn’t stunted by beginning a tackle football career later in life.
No doubt this will be a controversial proposal moving forward in the state. The bill is expected to be voted on this year.