A ban on tackle youth football? It’s possible

When I was about 12 years old, I nearly knocked out two of my teeth playing tackle football with a bunch of friends in a field by my home.

My mom immediately declared my tackle football career over.

Flash forward 40 years, and we’re back at the same place. Only the conversation is more serious.

California lawmakers are considering a ban on tackle football for kids under 12 years of age. On Wednesday, a legislative committee voted to advance a bill that, according to the Associated Press, needs to clear the state Assembly by the end of January to become law this year.

Proponents of the bill say it will help prevent serious injuries to children, especially brain injuries like concussions.

It’s another signal that parents are scared.

Scared when they see a movie like “Concussion.” Scared when they see the Buffalo Bills’ Damar Hamlin collapse from cardiac arrest after making a tackle. Scared when they see a player strapped to a stretcher and carted off the field.

Football’s massive television exposure has served to feed into some of that fear.

Legislators, at least in California, are among those watching.

But while some may view this bill as an attempt to add another nail in the sport’s coffin, I see it differently. Flag football as an alternative to tackling at the youth level actually may help the sport thrive at the high school level.

After multiple dips in participation levels, the number of high school athletes competing in 11-player football increased in 2022 for the first time since 2013, according to the National Federation of High Schools.

Participation, in fact, topped the million mark nationwide and approached the all-time high of more than 1.1 million in 2008.

The sport seems to have stabilized.

Bans aren’t an answer, and they certainly hurt the sport. But flag football remains a viable introduction for families and keeps football in the conversation — safely and in a positive light.

When the kids get older, perhaps in junior high, then make the decision whether or not to continue.

Some communities have embraced flag football at the youth level. In Batavia, the youth football league doesn’t start tackling until seventh grade.

Batavia High School coach Dennis Piron said some of his future players compete in tackle football elsewhere, but he also stressed how smoothly the flag football players transition to tackle football.

The results prove it. Batavia High School won state titles in 2013 and 2017, and finished second in 2006 and 2022 while making the playoffs 12 straight years.

The NFL also is embracing flag football, sponsoring regional tournaments and a national competition at this year’s Pro Bowl.

The Bears are a major supporter of girls flag football. They even hosted a state tournament in October at Halas Hall. Stevenson, Willowbrook and Glenbrook South were among the schools participating.

Last month, the IHSA member schools overwhelmingly approved a proposal to make girls flag football a sanctioned sport.

It’s clear flag football is blossoming. Maybe more youth leagues should embrace it and delay the hitting for a handful of years.

It might be the best way to keep football thriving.