Tackle football could soon be banned for kids younger than 12 in California

11 months ago 69
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SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- It's 1 of America's favourite sports, but for kids nether the property of 12 tackle shot could soon beryllium a relic of the past successful California.

It's each acknowledgment to a caller bill, authored by Sacramento Assemblymember Kevin McCarty, that's making its mode done the authorities legislature.

"When we look astatine kids nether the property of 12, tackle shot is simply a high-risk sport," said Dr. Brian Feeley, the caput of sports medicine astatine UCSF.

Dr. Feeley says helium supports the measure due to the fact that of the elevated hazard of concussions that comes with tackle football.

He says these risks are particularly heightened for young kids whose brains are successful their astir important stages of development.

"You're astatine higher hazard for anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation," Dr. Feeley said.

Dr. Feeley says alternatively of tackle football, emblem shot is simply a acold safer option.

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If the measure passes, children nether the property of 12 would beryllium banned from participating successful tackle shot successful California. It's surely not the archetypal clip the authorities projected stricter regulations astir the younker sport.

Not everyone agrees with this measure though.

That includes immoderate section coaches successful Oakland who accidental they fearfulness it'll disproportionately interaction young kids of color.

"We woody with a batch of low-income families. A batch of families that spell done struggles and possibly don't person a antheral fig astatine home," said Chewy Orr.

Chewy Orr and Damon Gardner are the coaches of younker tackle shot team, the Oakland Dynamites.

They archer ABC7 News for teams similar theirs, shot is much than conscionable a sport, it's a mode to thatch kids astir things similar friendship, leadership, and camaraderie.

They besides accidental sports too shot besides transportation the hazard of injuries.

"You tin leap successful basketball, you tin autumn down and deed your caput and get a concussion. Look astatine the pitcher. If you're playing shot they're throwing 90 mph astatine you," said Gardner.

And arsenic for emblem football, Coaches Chewy and Damon say, they don't deliberation it's a suitable alternative.

"Flag shot conscionable doesn't transportation capable kids. We person 30 kids. Flag shot typically though we'd possibly person astir 15," Orr said.

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