Tackle Football

by us they don't start tackle football until 5 grade. i don't think a 7 year old really understands the whole football thing at that age yet. i think it's a little too young yet at 7 years old!!

My oldest son started tackle football at 8 he played until he was 13 my youngest will start this fall. My oldest has never been hurt- we never got investigated- there are bumps and bruises I say let him play if he doesnt like it he doesnt have to play next year.

My nephew will be the Quarterback for his high school this year.. He has always been super athletic. His HS has a very good team and the coach always encourage the elementary school parents to put off tackle football till the kids are in 5th grade. He says before that time. there is no use and too many chances of getting hurt.

This is what our nephew did.. Up until then he played soccer and little league baseball. He played basket ball and took swimming lessons.

His freshman year in high school he was the freshman Quarterback. His Sophomore year he was the back up Quarter back on the Varsity team and his first game broke his collar bone. Missed the entire season. This spring he skipped baseball to save his arm, but is trying Lacrosse..

I agree with you. 7 does seem young but you know your child best.

Children can get injured in any sport but obviously there is more of a chance to get injured in Football because it is a contact sport. However, my kids have been injured in karate and swimming so go figure!

Our local 'PopWarner' Football page has all kinds of statistics sighting that soccer is a TON more dangerous at this age than tackle football....your local league probably has statistics you could read/follow-up on too.

~We are in the process of deciding if our boys should play tackle this year too!?

I hated the thought of my kids doing tackle football. But all boys LOVE it!! My nephews and brothers in law all did tackle and did fine and loved it. I never did for my son, however, because my son was always so much smaller than his age so he didn't meet the requirements. My BIL broke his leg in basketball and got knocked out in basketball but never any injuries in football.... go figure!

mine did tackle at that age. be prepared for bruising and possibly the cps investigating him because of the bruises. i got investigated. and be ready for the biting thier lip and stuff.

My son started tackle football at that age. He is SUPER athletic. One of those kids who always has to be doing something. He really, really wanted to play. We let him, because we didn't know any better. Since then, I've read so much literature about how dangerous it is. In that first year, he had a tackle that wrenched his back pretty bad. He has had back pain ever since. I've taken him to a chirporactor and we trade backrubs all the time. I probably would have not started him so young if I had to do it again. There are a lot of parents who don't let their sons play tackle football until they are in 7th grade! This is football country- Ohio State football is crazy, here! Still, much to kid's dismay, parents are against it. My son has to be doing some sort of activity - I have nearly killed him myself, when he doesn't have an outlet. I really have no doubt he will fund his college on (at least partial) sports scholarships. So, it's not that he can't handle the physical contact. It's just that when they are so young, their bodies can withstand quite a bit. You'd think that would be a good thing, right? Well, when their muscles/tendons, etc. get microscopic tears and scar tissue, they don't really recuperate from it. Sure, it can heal, but.... fully?? I am dealing, myself, with such chronic pain, that I would NEVER wish that on my child. It's a hard balance. If your son is super into sports and one of those kids who has to be into something all the time...the benefits may outweigh the risks. But, if it's just kind of something he was thinking he might want to do for fun...I'd say wait!! There's other sports that he can try. I also read that soccer can be more dangerous than football. That's the statistics I latched onto when I put my son in tackle football. LOL! But, after seeing both tackle football and soccer at that age - there's no question which is more dangerous. Tackle is tackle. Soccer has no head trauma at that age. No more than a backyard game of tag. The neck injuries, alone, are not worth it, when it comes to tackle football. Soccer could be more dangerous when they start using their heads, but to get hit - full on- by a kid twice your size? ouch. We've seen firsthand, how big some of these kids can be. Last year, my son played against boys bigger than the coaches!! Sure, it's 6th grade football, but still. In 1st grade, there can be some really ..big.... boys. They will be the ones tackling your kid. Believe me. We love football. Our whole fall is football all day, every day. But, if your son has just a casual interest. I'd say, steer him toward something else. Just my opinion. Good luck!