More research is being done now than ever before on the effects of chronic traumatic encephalopathy on the human brain. CTE is a degenerative brain disease that results from repeated injuries to the head.
People with the disease can experience mood swings, behavioral issues, and memory loss. Playing physical sports that involve the head getting hit, especially football, increases your chances of developing CTE.
The current method to test for CTE involves a brain autopsy. It can only be diagnosed in a deceased patient. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association discovered CTE in the brains of 99% of donated brains from NFL players, 91% from college players, and 21% percent from high school players.
Dr. Robert Stern, a researcher at the Concussion Legacy Foundation, found that NFL players who played contact football before 12 years old had more significant symptoms of CTE, such as memory loss.
Stern emphasized that you can develop CTE without suffering concussions. His studies also show if you play tackle football at an earlier age, you’re twice as likely to develop behavioral problems.
Freshmen in high school are typically 13 or 14 years old. Based off the research, CTE symptoms can be reduced if contact football is avoided until these ages.
One of the greatest football players of all time, Tom Brady, didn’t play tackle football until his freshman year of high school. Do we need 9-year-olds tackling each other?
As someone who has played tackle football as a 9-year-old, I would support it. In a physical contact sport like football, it’s important to build both toughness and technique. Learning to properly absorb or execute a tackle at an early age could prevent injuries later in your career.
As more research comes out, we will see changes to the sport of football, such as safer helmets, pads, and medical treatments to prevent CTE. New measures have been proposed, such as banning kickoffs to avoid injuries. Time will tell if tackle football will remain accessible for young athletes.
Written by: Cameron Jones
