Debunking Myths About Football
You've heard the comments before.
"Football isn't safe!"
"Football puts your future health at risk!"
"Football players don't do well in school!"
But are these claims true? Are they rooted in fact or merely sitting in the land of deception?
As someone who has heard many myths about football, I wanted to dig deep and see if these perceptions were false or accurate. Below are five common myths about football, the truthful facts debunking them, and relevant evidence from scientific studies and reputable organizations. Let's take a look:
MYTH #1: The risk of injury with youth football is higher than any other sport.
FACT: The concussion rate in youth tackle football is similar to concussion rates in other youth contact sports, such as soccer, ice hockey, lacrosse, and even flag football.
Reference: LaBella, C. (2019). Youth Tackle Football: Perception and Reality. Pediatrics, 143(5), e20190519. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2019-0519
MYTH #2: There are long-term mental health and cognitive function affects of playing tackle football during high school.
FACT: There are no differences in cognitive function or depression when comparing football athletes to non-contact sport athletes and to non-athletes.
Reference: Willer, B., Tiso, M., Haider, M., Hinds, A., Baker, J., Miecznikowski, J., & Leddy, J. (2018). Evaluation of Executive Function and Mental Health in Retired Contact Sport Athletes. Journal Of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 33(5), E9-E15. https://doi.org/10.1097/htr.0000000000000423
MYTH #3: There are long-term brain injury affects of playing tackle football before high school.
FACT: There are no differences in neurocognitive function between those who started playing football before verses after age 12, even after adjusting for age, learning accommodations, and concussion history.
Reference: Brett, B., Huber, D., Wild, A., Nelson, L., & McCrea, M. (2019). Age of First Exposure to American Football and Behavioral, Cognitive, Psychological, and Physical Outcomes in High School and Collegiate Football Players. Sports Health: A Multidisciplinary Approach, 11(4), 332-342. https://doi.org/10.1177/1941738119849076
MYTH #4: High school football injuries are at an all-time high.
FACT: The National Federation of High Schools reports that rule changes, injury detection and education has resulted in the lowest risk of injury in high school football history.
Reference: https://www.nfhs.org/articles/injury-risk-lowest-in-history-of-high-school-football/
MYTH #5: Football players don't do well in school.
FACT: NCAA statistics show that football student-athletes perform better in the classroom and have higher graduation percentages than the general population.
Reference: https://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/media-center/news/college-athletes-graduate-record-high-rates
The next time you hear one of these myths, remember the facts that sit in reality. Football is increasingly becoming safer with each passing year and it will continue to remain the greatest sport in the world when we remind ourselves that perception can be deception; always look to the facts for answers. Football is a good thing, and it will remain a good thing for a long, long time.