An Unorthodox Look at the Safety of High School Football

It was alarming to find out earlier this week that the 7th high school football player has died this year in the US, all from blunt force trauma to the head. This news has me shaken as well as made me ready to discuss an issue that has bothered me for years.

Those of you that know me, know I live for high school football. I feel high school football is the purest form of sport of any level. There are so many positive benefits from high school football, from the physical attributes to the character benefits it requires. This day in advancement, we (including myself) ask athletes to be bigger and stronger to smarter and faster, all of which push the limits towards possible injury, to all competitors involved. Some high school football players, and their families, know that football is their only hope of going to college, so is it their fault that they push themselves to the physical limits to be the bigger, stronger, smarter, faster athlete, which may in turn injure themselves or another athlete (sometimes fatally) on the field of play. I say Absolutely Not.

Today, coaching proper technique is Priority. Understanding the way to not lead with the head is being taught at every football practice around the nation, and should be. There is a way to play the game with great intensity – the right way.

Here is the problem that I’ve had for several years. Referees.

With all the advancement and requirements we have of making players pass physicals and such, why isn’t it the same for Referees. Some may question, what do Referees have to do with players dying during competition. Maybe nothing, but here is what I’m seeing.

Over the last 15 years of my involvement with high school football, I’ve noticed a dramatic decline in the health of high school football Referees. Referees are older, a majority are overweight, and most could not pass a physical. Here is where this problem comes back to the athletes. If Referees cannot get in the right positions to make calls, such as helmet to helmet contact, because they aren’t physically fit, what are we teaching.

Look at College and NFL Referees, they are as if not more fit than the athletes. Why isn’t it the same for high school Referees? I understand money, but all we hear is, ‘’Safety First’’, is it?

Requiring Referees to be physically fit and pass physicals would help make it easier for them to be in the right positions to make correct calls. This would result in more Personal Foul penalties being called for head related hits and deter players from doing so because, players would be ejected from games and be suspended for subsequent games, which would in turn hurt their potential future college plans as well as hurt their teams.

I understand my thoughts may offend some, but something has to be done.

~ by jcranfill on October 27, 2015.