Letting Kids Play Football is Not Child Abuse

Submitted by Brooke de Lench on Mon, 08/14/2017 - 17:00. | comments

The last three weeks have witnessed an all-out assault on the game of football, not coincidentally timed with the beginning of NFL training camps. First came a study reporting CTE in 110 of 111 brains of former NFL players. Following closely on the heels of that media circus was the publication last week of a new book by Dr. Bennet Omalu, Truth Doesn't Have a Side, and interviews in which Dr. Omalu, as he has for several years, argues that letting kids play football is the "definition" of child abuse. The not-so-surprising result has been a tsunami of emails in my Inbox asking for my views on the subject.

Are parents committing child abuse simply by allowing their kids to play a collision sport like football before middle school? Not unless it rises to the level of a callous and wanton disregard for a child's safety (e.g. reckless endangerment).

2017 Sports Nutrition News

In this era of highly competitive sports, athletes are always looking for ways to fuel optimally. Performance nutrition is also of interest to military personnel. Our longtime sports nutrition expert reports from this year's annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine on recent nutrition research from both civilian and military exercise scientists.

Experts Weigh in on Preventing Exertional Heat Stroke at the Boston Marathon

Marathon weather conditions can be unpredictable, from snow squalls to extreme heat, which may lead to increased risks of life-threatening medical emergencies, including exertional heat stroke (EHS). Monitoring for early signs of an injury is critical. It's also extremely helpful to know an individual's medical history, as athletes with a history of heat illness may be more susceptible to a repeat heat illness experience.

The Science of Fueling for Performance

Sports dietitian Nancy Clark relies on the research of exercise physiologists and sports scientists who study the best ways for competitive athletes to fuel their bodies to optimize their performance. Here are some of insights of one of the researchers she follows.

Meal Timing: Does It Matter When You Eat?

According to a recent statement published by the American Heart Association the timing and frequency of meals is important for cardiovascular health, and is particularly important for athletes. Because children and adolescents who skip meals have a higher risk of developing health issues, the issue is particularly important for parents in meal planning.

Eat Fat, Get Fat or Eat Fat, Get Healthy?

With national magazines reporting that butter is back and the Paleo diet embracing coconut oil, athletes are left wondering whom to believe. A top sports nutritionist addresses the issue of dietary fat and the sports diet.

Criminal Prosecution for Players' Game Violence Should Remain Rare

In the wake of criminal charges being filed in California against a high school water polo player for assaulting an opponent, a law professor argues that such prosecutions are rare, and should remain rare, as long as sports organizations are proactive in preventing violent conduct by enforcing the rules and promoting good sportsmanship.

Brooke de Lench

Why I'm Not a Football Apologist or Anti-Football Zealot: I'm a Pro-Safety Realist

Submitted by Brooke de Lench on Mon, 12/21/2015 - 18:48. | comments

As I await tonight's advance screening in Boston of Sony Pictures' movie, Concussion, which opens nationwide on Christmas Day, the polarized debate over football has once again reached a fever pitch.

In contrast to recent battles in the now 110-year war over football MomsTEAM Institute of Youth Sports Safety, the non-profit I have headed for the last fifteen years, is not merely an interested spectator this time around.

That's because Sony Pictures chose the Institute as its partner in its Dance or Donate #ForThePlayers social media campaign; an initiative designed not just to publicize the movie but to promote our 15-year effort to make youth football and all sports safer (which is why the Institute is hosting the Boston screening)

With the Boston advance screening of Concussion tonight and the nationwide release just three days away, MomsTEAM's Executive Director explains why she's not a football apologist, CTE denier, or anti-football zealot but is, and always has been, a pro-safety pragmatist.

For Athletes in Weight-Sensitive Sports: Food for Thought

It's no secret that disordered eating practices are common among weight-conscious athletes. A top sports dietitian has some helpful tips for making weight healthfully.

Prevention, Not Litigation, Should Be Primary Strategy For Youth Sports Concussion

A longtime law professor and youth hockey coach argues that national, state, and local programs designed to prevent concussions are preferable to litigation because they are proactive, not reactive. 40 years, and I coached youth ice hockey for 42 years. My experiences teach me that prevention efforts must remain the primary strategy to meet the youth sports concussion crisis, not litigation. The reason is that prevention is proactive; litigation is mostly reactive.

Team of Experts