Long Term Repercussions of Sports

[jmez]

Football is already dead and gone. Saddens me that I don't even recognize the variety my kids now play. It's 7 on 7 with 11 guys.

Sent from my moto g power 5G - 2023 using Tapatalk

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

Football is already dead and gone. Saddens me that I don't even recognize the variety my kids now play. It's 7 on 7 with 11 guys.

Sent from my moto g power 5G - 2023 using Tapatalk

In Iowa, there are several districts that play varsity 8 man football due to low enrollment. This has been going on like 15 years.

The younger jr. high kids play club 7 on 7 football where there is no rushing the quarterback.

The NFL players' union keeps adding more rules every year to keep the sport "safer" for their multi-millionaire ponies. Hell you can barely even sack the QB it seems like these days. Other than the Super Bowl, I haven't watched a full NFL game in years. I still like the college game, but the NIL and transfer portal is ruining it a little more every year.

 

[Beendare]

Everytime I start to groan about my HS/ College aches I think about the few ex NFL guys I hunt with….dang those guys are beat up. A couple all pros, both skilled positions- TE and Linebackers and linemen.

They are in their 50’s and 60’s now and I seriously don’t know how they get out of bed. …..and when you ask them if they would do it all over again…of course they would.

 

[DangerRanger]

My parents allowed me to play whatever I wanted with no pressure other than to finish what I started for a season. I think that was a good way to go about it and didn’t ever make me feel like I had to do anything for them only for me. I ended up being competitive in high school for tennis but had no interest in playing collegiately, just didn’t care enough or have the want to push to be elite/collegiate. I’d rather fish with my wd40 can wrapped in mono and a crappie jig than keep training after practice was over lol

My son is beginning t ball and I hope I can do the same. I think they are beneficial especially for some kids but I think the amount we push this is a bit ridiculous at times and I don’t like parents living though children.

The only sports I will struggle if he/she (have both) wants to play are football or boxing. I worked in a tbi lab in college and I just really don’t wish it on anyone. I still love watching it though.

 

[KsRancher]

I ran NCAA D1 cross country and track in college. At age 46 the only lingering effect I have is a daily 5-7 mile running habit. Any injuries I had in college were short-term and as I've gotten older I've learned to continue in the sport and be less and less injury prone by taking better care of my body. I haven't had any kind of injury for the last 10 years of running 45-50 miles a week.

Now my kids are choosing to specialize in running (from broad backgrounds in other sports) as they enter high school and its a lot of fun to race against them and hold them off as long as I can. I really left it up to each kid to choose which sports to keep doing and what to down-select to and when. I'm glad they are choosing a "lifetime" sport.

I never gave running a thought when I was in school. My oldest son who is 16 played football and basketball in 7th and 8th grade. After getting treated like crap he took up running at the end of basketball his 8th grade year. The absolute best thing he ever did. At the end of basketball his 8th grade he was 5'4" and 145lbs. Now he is 5'10" and 150lbs of pure muscle, down to the 6 pack. I am jealous that you can run fast enough to push your kids. In the best shape of my life I couldn't run 1 mile at his 5k pace and he isn't in the realm of running fast enough for college. I really like the atmosphere at the running events so much better than the other sports.

 

[huntsman22]

no repercussions here..... twitch,twitch, oww, ache, crack, creak....

 

[tacotim]

no repercussions here..... twitch,twitch, oww, ache, crack, creak....

awesome!

 

[Dwnw/theAltitudesickness]

Throughout my career I have had the following injuries: 2 documented concussions, 6 broken ribs, torn meniscus (twice), ton pcl, torn mcl, torn hamstring, torn rotator cuffs. torn pec, broken right hand, 4 broken toes, sprained ankle, pulled groin, broken nose and many more bumps and bruises I can't even remember.

@Augie So you wrestled..... Hard! Know some people say these injuries should never happen in youth/ high school sports but it is quite common IMO. Playing hurt/ injured can be the norm. There was a very high level of self determination that was worth it to me. The juice was worth the squeeze.... even with the injuries. Not sure if I will feel the same way in 20 years though.

I have some of the similar injuries', but not as many or sever. Surgery for some, others slowly babying or rehabilitating, or living with due to insurance BS. Being 33, seems ridiculous, but I wear 1 ankle brace at all times on hunts. There is little stability left in that ankle.

Having the same thoughts for my children as far as sports and long lasting effect. They may be injured and it might not be worth it to them.

 

[ozyclint]

What I tend to see is people playing longer than they should, not knowing when to give it away and older ages playing social sports and getting a little too competitive, thinking they still have it then BOOM.......bad injury at the wrong time of their lives.

 

[Customweld]

I played 8 man football in high school. No hope or talent to take it to the next level. Senior year, starting running back and safety, I blew my elbow out and broke my arm in 3 places below when someone kicked my arm when it was planted on the ground. Had surgery to put it all back together . The local doctor release me to play a month later in the state championship . I sure wished I never would have played that game. I've got limited motion and constant pain in that arm, luckily its my non dominant.

 

[Johnny Tyndall]

Dang, I'll put in another endorsement for track/cross country. No drama, no injuries, cheap, meets are over fast and the CC ones were in interesting places. Picked up a lifelong running habit and it translates directly to being fast in the mountains & woods. Mostly nerds, which could be a plus or minus, depending.

 

[Gutshot007]

Swimming . Hard and underrated without the high speed collisions

 

[SWOHTR]

My hangup is I want my kids to be a part of a bonafide team to experience, and learn, how to function on a team. And I struggle with this because it is largely the impact sports where this is experienced.

 

[Rich M]

What I tend to see is people playing longer than they should, not knowing when to give it away and older ages playing social sports and getting a little too competitive, thinking they still have it then BOOM.......bad injury at the wrong time of their lives.

My uncle died at 85 yo from falling on his nugget while fast pitching for a baseball game. Died doing what he loved - sports. Another uncle died at 82 falling while bowling. Lesson - don't bonk yer nugget after 80.

IMO, no injuries are worth what sports has to give - especially to kids when the coaches push em to keep playing injured. All to put a trophy on a shelf to collect dust.

But hey, it gives ya something to reminisce about over a beer in 30 years. Remember when our knees worked? Those were great days, yah. You want another - no, can't it'll set off the pain pills and make me loopy. Good to see ya.

 

[Customweld]

Was listening to Glory Days by Springsteen this morning. Boy, that song is about as accurate as they come!

 

[S.Clancy]

I grew up playing baseball, then played golf and tennis in high school. My dad didn't let us play football. My other brothers also played basketball, but I hate team sports. All 4 of us had the opportunity to play golf in college, only 2 of us did so. There is so many better sports than football IMO, from both a physical and mental standpoint.

 

[WCB]

IMO, no injuries are worth what sports has to give - especially to kids when the coaches push em to keep playing injured. All to put a trophy on a shelf to collect dust.

But hey, it gives ya something to reminisce about over a beer in 30 years. Remember when our knees worked? Those were great days, yah. You want another - no, can't it'll set off the pain pills and make me loopy. Good to see ya.

Guys on here carry 60-lb packs into steep and dangerous terrain, while dodging Grizzlies and hiding out from Blizzards and other hazards to put some horns all the wall that collect dust. Is it worth the potential injury or death?

And what do A LOT of guys say...its not about the trophy it is about the memories. But hey, remember that time dave was chasing a deer 5 miles from the truck, slipped and fell down that avalanche chute and broke his neck? Great day!

 

[Rich M]

Guys on here carry 60-lb packs into steep and dangerous terrain, while dodging Grizzlies and hiding out from Blizzards and other hazards to put some horns all the wall that collect dust. Is it worth the potential injury or death?

And what do A LOT of guys say...its not about the trophy it is about the memories. But hey, remember that time dave was chasing a deer 5 miles from the truck, slipped and fell down that avalanche chute and broke his neck? Great day!

We make our own choices. No-one in authority is gonna tell us to climb a mtn with an injury. And if we do something stupid it is on us.

A coach will tell a kid to play with an injury. And the kid trusts the coach. Therefore the kid doesn't make the choice.

If the kid does want to play with an injury, the parents should do something but somehow feel the lesson of pushing thru is better than the lesson of thinking stuff thru and doing what is best for the future. Controlling one's desires and focusing the energy. Plenty of positive life lessons on either side. I just choose the one where walking pain-free is possible 5-10-20+ years later.

Sports can be played without a focus on pushing til stuff breaks.

 

[Scoot]

So much negativity in this thread regarding sports. I learned one heck of a lot about life through sports: being a good follower, being a good leader, being part of a team, etc. I played four sports in high school, two in college, and club ball in a different sport during grad school. I have no regrets about playing any of them and I'm quite certain I wouldn't be who I am today without my involvement in sports.

 

[5MilesBack]

Doesn't matter whether it's years of sports, adrenaline junkie activities, or whatever else.......I don't give it much thought at all. I could have spent every awake moment in my life taking every precaution and safe route with everything, and then get in a car wreck due to someone else's fault and be crippled for the rest of my life....having experienced nothing.

I have no regrets, even with the injuries, surgeries, and constant pain. I still go full bore even at 58.