Help (not on a car)

[chevydrivin]

Ok, this has nothing to do with autos but I need someone else's thoughts. I have twin daughters in 7th grade/13yrs old. I am not going to be one of these parents who will sit here and say that they are the best sports players on their teams.......So i'll just say.......They excell in everything they do, Basketball, Fast pitch softball and soccer, which is all thats offered in this area. Anyway my question is, should I let them play football? Yes, it is on the Jr high team, Yes it is an all boys team, Yes it is tackle and most importantly, Yes they are the ones who want to. I have not done a thing (although my wife thinks I have, she doesn't want them to play) They actually asked the Jr high coach, he said he didn't care but they needed to ask the High school Head coach. Now my two are extreamly shy but however they went straight to the head coachs office and asked. He doesn't care eaither as long as they can make it through summer camp this summer. I want them to do it, but my wife is having a hard time with it, she is scared they will get hurt. Or appear too boyish.
Just a little info on them, I am 6-1 and their already about as high as my shoulders, so they are tall, they weigh in around 160 lbs, which the doctor said is ok because it is all muscle,(their leg muscles are bigger than mine). They have arm wrestling matches at school and after they beat all the girls in the 7th grade, they started and beat every boy in the 7th grade. I know they will be able to do it, they would actually make a good running back or linebacker, but what is too much, my feeling is that i'll let them play 8th and 9th grade and get it out of their system before high school gets here, I know high school ball will be a whole new ball of wax, but for now, I know that If they get on the field they will really do well.
How can I discourage them wanting to do all they do when other parents can't even get their kids off the couch. Thats what I told my wife, if they do good and get a little publicity just think of the millions of young girls who are currently scared to play any sport. They will see that it is possible to do whatever you want and then, all those kids that were scared might actually get off the couch and get out there and sign of for a,,,any sport.

Any thoughts will be appreciated........although i believe my mind is made up, Any encouraging line you have maybe I can use when I am on the sidelines if we ever do actually get that far.

Thanks.............................................................

[Sniper]

Why not? Seems like a non issue. If they are good enough to play, they will, if not, they won't. Might get hurt? Might not either. They will wonder for the rest of their lives if they could have pulled it off. If they are stopped by someone else, all they can do is wonder. I've always tried to protect my kids from the real dangers in this world, just like any other parent. But when it concerned an activity in a controlled risk enviroment, and they wanted to give it a try, Ok, give it all you've got! I've seen more happy faces than sad ones. Sniper

[Stovebolter]

I definitely say yes. But be ready for the bumps and bruises! My youngest son plays for the Harrison Goblins.....and he's finding that he spends most of his time in pain....

My thing about girls playing.....despite the possible teasing from the guys....and the girls that dont play....it will give them personal confidence later in life...when it matters the most.....proving they can do anything! I'm all for that!

Dave G

[jyardgirl]

I tries out for my varsity footbal team back in 1980. After going to summer camp and running my butt off I was told by the coach that no matter how good I was I would never make the cut. Hurts to this day. My son plays JV and Varsity as we have a small town school. He is 5'4" and weighs about 140. His team is 4-1. I am so proud of him I walk 10 feet taller when he takes the field. If your girls have a true desire to play than by all means let them. Around our district there are a couple of girls on different teams. They are not treated any different that I can tell and they hit like the big guys. I think that if they can make it through camp than they have earned their spot.

[youther]

For me it's simple.

When it comes to sports, if they want to do it, let them do it.

[HOTRODPAINT]

If you live life too carefully, there will be regrets.....maybe resentment for you, for limiting them.....and no stories to tell when they are old. Life is supposed to be an adventure, but also a learning experience.

Besides, it's probably safer than skydiving, skin diving with sharks, or mountain climbing!

[sgo70]

If you live life too carefully, there will be regrets.....maybe resentment for you, for limiting them.....and no stories to tell when they are old. Life is supposed to be an adventure, but also a learning experience.

Besides, it's probably safer than skydiving, skin diving with sharks, or mountain climbing!

That's funny, I do all those and I feel quite safe but when I played football I always felt beat up. .

I'd say let them go for it, like Hotrod says if you live too carefully you'll regret it and feel like you missed out.

Sean

[jerry clayton]

Get them some karts----


For sale-----sold our building and I have several karts for sale--WKA national and world championship shifters, enduros, etc

Good luck----that decision is kinda like this years election----damned if you do and damned if you don't

[Dave Severson]

From my own school years, wish I never would have played football... Dad told me about the injury thing but of course I didn't listen..... So after blowing out a knee my junior year and having to skip baseball (at the time my #1 sport) I wish I would have listened.... But, you can get hurt crossing the street, too. Kind of a case of setting priorities IMO.... One good injury in football could kill any future scholarships for other more traditional girls sports.......

[JeffB2]

Offer to send them to wrestling school,I can only imagine the $$ Vince McMahon would pay for a twin ladies tag team.

[IC2]

Injuries happen in sports. I never did the school football thing - was plenty big enough, was harassed by the coach to do it but was far more interested in -----cars!!! (and girls). I had to wait until I started skiing to wreck my knee and shoulder

My son couldn't play HS football as he had a severe case of mono. He recovered went on to college and was a walk on for the teams and became a starter at both the 2 year Jr college as well as the regular 4 year university. He never got more the the normal bruises - but was/is big at 6'3" and about 220. He finally had a bad sports injury - water skiing at age 35 - he broke his hip!!

My opinion, FWIW, if they are physically big enough - skeletal structure and muscles - and well coached, especially important, then at least let them give it a chance

[HOTRODPAINT]

(QUOTE)That's funny, I do all those and I feel quite safe but when I played football I always felt beat up.(QUOTE)

I was actually thinking of the likely outcome of falling hundreds or thousands of feet ....which is hard to do in football. :-)

[firebird77clone]

if it's not a financial issue, then go for it.

Might want to get some additional medical coverage though.

[Don Shillady]

You asked! The chance for permanent injury is greater in contact football than in the "running" sports they already do. Depending on your economic situation you should note there are few college scholarships for girls in football but there may be quite a few possibilities for scholarships in the Title-9 sports. Despite modern equipment, the chance for knee injuries and/or concussion is much higher in a 4th-and-1 situation or receiving a pass in the presence of headhunter cornerbacks. One compromise I have seen is where a girl is a place kicker with less of a chance for heavy contact but with two girls the question is whether one could be a place kicker/holder or maybe a punter. I know how that age can work on a Dad to get what they want but my common sense tells me to convince them to excell in basketball where there are more scholarship possibilities. Years ago in my H.S. there was Field Hockey for young women and that is a very vigorous outlet that also offers scholarships. The university I am retired from has no football program and chose to put limited funds into men's basketball and women's field hockey as well as a strong program in tennis for men and women. You should look into the Title-9 provisions that require colleges to offer equal scholarships for women in sports. I can still recall head-on tackling drills where I could feel my vertebrae go click, click, click like dominoes. My two daughters were way too small for athletics and went into band and flag events at halftime and I would not have considered letting them play football, but basketball is really growing for women's sports and 13 is a little young to risk knee injuries or concussions. I can also recall being a mediocre basketball player on the JV team when the coach of the Girls team thought it would be a good idea for the girls varsity team to practice against the boys JV team and it was amazing because the girls were literally fainting in exhaustion in a few minutes due to the speed of the boys game. I think that gap has narrowed now with more emphasis on Girls basketball. At 13 it is sort of like the pressure some kids have to endure in Little Leage, particularly pitchers in Little League relative to bone growth in the early adolescent years. Just my opinion, Billie Jean King may have a different view!

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

[Stovebolter]

You asked! The chance for permanent injury is greater in contact football than in the "running" sports they already do. Depending on your economic situation you should note there are few college scholarships for girls in football but there may be quite a few possibilities for scholarships in the Title-9 sports. Despite modern equipment, the chance for knee injuries and/or concussion is much higher in a 4th-and-1 situation or receiving a pass in the presence of headhunter cornerbacks. One compromise I have seen is where a girl is a place kicker with less of a chance for heavy contact but with two girls the question is whether one could be a place kicker/holder or maybe a punter. I know how that age can work on a Dad to get what they want but my common sense tells me to convince them to excell in basketball where there are more scholarship possibilities. Years ago in my H.S. there was Field Hockey for young women and that is a very vigorous outlet that also offers scholarships. The university I am retired from has no football program and chose to put limited funds into men's basketball and women's field hockey as well as a strong program in tennis for men and women. You should look into the Title-9 provisions that require colleges to offer equal scholarships for women in sports. I can still recall head-on tackling drills where I could feel my vertebrae go click, click, click like dominoes. My two daughters were way too small for athletics and went into band and flag events at halftime and I would not have considered letting them play football, but basketball is really growing for women's sports and 13 is a little young to risk knee ijuries or concussions. I can also recall being a mediocre basketball player on the JV team when the coach of the Girls team thought it would be a good idea for the girls varsity team to practice against the boys JV team and it was amazing because the girls were literally fainting in exhaustion in a few minutes due to the speed of the boys game. I think that gap has narrowed now with more emphasis on Girls basketball. At 13 it is sort of like the pressure some kids have to endure in Little Leage, particularly pitchers in Little League relative to bone growth in the early adolescent years. Just my opinion, Billie Jean King may have a different view!

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

Don...after reading your post...I'm with you. I've been real torn over the multiple sports thing with my son. I believe he is a natural talent with the basketball and feel that he can go further with it than any other sport he could play. I've been agonizing over him destroying his chances at doing what he loves....basketball....because he hurt himself permanently while playing football. My ex and I definitely dont see eye to eye in this matter. Thing is....our doc...very close family friend....is the one that brought this to my attention.

Flip side though....I also can relate to other's remarks that the young ladies will forever wonder.... if they arent allowed. Its definitely a two sided situation.

Dave G