Girls playing football

[Word Nerd]

Assuming it's an option available to her, what would your answer be if your DD expressed an interest in playing middle-school (tackle) football?

 

ETA: co-ed/almost all boys, not all girls

[Chris in VA]

While I'm usually fine with girls on sports teams usually reserved for boys, I would discourage tackle football.

I'd discourage a boy, too--I don't like tackle football for kids. Too many injuries while they learn how to tackle properly, and not enough coaches who know how to teach proper technique. JMO, JME.

[Lisa R.]

My ds played tackle football in middle school. He was one of the bigger players on his team. After every game he was very sore for a day or two from the tackles he gave and received. (He played offense and defense.) Even at his level, it was a very rough sport. He was encouraged to hit and hit hard.

 

I would never want him to hit a girl like that. If football players adjust their play to accommodate a girl or play more carefully so she doesn't get hurt, you no longer have a legitimate game of tackle football. Saying you don't want the boys to adjust their play for a girl isn't realistic. Not do I think it's appropriate to tell a boy to treat a girl the same in a game like football.

 

Football can be a violent sport. Many parents don't even want their sons to play it. Seeing the some of the tackles and hits in the game make me understand why they could feel this way.

 

Now there are so many opportunities for girls to play sports. Why not just encourage one of those teams than disrupt a football team?

[Catwoman]

No.

 

I wouldn't let my ds play it either.

 

I wanted to "like" Wendy's post, because she said exactly what I was going to say, but apparently I am out of "likes" for the day. :glare:

[Word Nerd]

I don't know that the OP meant a co-ed team. There are female only football teams. We have adult female football teams where I live.

 

I meant a PS team. Most teams are all boys.

[Dmmetler]

If my DD really wanted to do it, I'd at least consider it (and if I banned it, I'd ban it for safety reasons). My DD cheers competitive rec, in a league that's very much "if you want to cheer, you can cheer"-and once you've seen little kids who have obvious disabilities light up and routines adapted so that they can be a full part of the team, no matter what, it's not all that shocking to see a little boy out there wearing a t-shirt and pants in the team colors instead of a skirt and vest, obviously having the time of his life. I can't imagine it's an easy choice when you're a little boy to pick a sport that is SO female dominated, but the boys I've seen do it it really is a good fit for them. The other thing I've noticed is that it really isn't an issue past about the 3rd practice or so-the coaches are matter of fact about it, and the kids are, too. In fact, on our level 4 team this year, one of the fliers is an adorable 12 yr old boy. The puberty train hasn't stopped at his station yet, and he's a good tumbler, so he has the body control needed to fly, and it works quite well.

 

I can hypothetically see the same being true for a girl in a traditionally male-dominated sport like football.

[regentrude]

No. And it has nothing to do with her being a girl, and whether the team is all girls or coed. I would not let my son play either.

I'd rather they keep their brains fully functioning.

[renmew]

Maybe, not sure, because I haven't decided yet if I'd let my son play. I've heard a lot lately about the possible brain injuries.

[Julie Smith]

I would strongly discourage anyone from playing tackle football.

[TarynB]

If football players adjust their play to accommodate a girl or play more carefully so she doesn't get hurt, you no longer have a legitimate game of tackle football. Saying you don't want the boys to adjust their play for a girl isn't realistic. Not do I think it's appropriate to tell a boy to treat a girl the same in a game like football.

 

Football can be a violent sport. Many parents don't even want their sons to play it. Seeing the some of the tackles and hits in the game make me understand why they could feel this way.

 

Now there are so many opportunities for girls to play sports. Why not just encourage one of those teams than disrupt a football team?

 

This.

[Word Nerd]

The more I think about it, the more firm my "no" becomes. I have several concerns and issues with the idea, and to me it does matter that she'd be the only girl on the team. But the most significant reason is the real risk of serious injury. She's smaller than average size, and she isn't especially athletic or tough. She can throw the ball pretty well compared to her male friends, but throwing ability doesn't really matter if you aren't the quarterback. She can't kick well either, and kicker would be the most likely position to try if we did allow her to play. DH agrees—and unlike me, he has personal experience of how rough the sport can be, even at that level. We try to encourage DD to explore her interests when possible, but I just can't justify allowing her to pursue this one.

[twoxcell]

While I'm usually fine with girls on sports teams usually reserved for boys, I would discourage tackle football.

I'd discourage a boy, too--I don't like tackle football for kids. Too many injuries while they learn how to tackle properly, and not enough coaches who know how to teach proper technique. JMO, JME.

:iagree: My answer would be the same for boy or girl. NO

[BigMamaBird]

No. My Dd is so thin and willowy, she'd be snapped like a twig.

[Guest Myfanwy]

For me, it would depend on how big and athletic the girl is, as well as the age group. But, my answer would very likely be no. If this is a league that includes 6th-8th graders, I wouldn't even consider it.

 

My stepdaughter played tackle football for one year, in 6th grade in a 5/6th grade league. None of the boys had hit their growth spurt (good/big 6th graders could play up in the 7/8th league), while she was about 5'3 and over 100lbs. She was one of the best players, and we really didn't worry about her any more than we did her brothers. However, when we looked at the 7/8th league, we decided that the boys were too big for her to continue playing.

 

Myfanwy

[NicAnn]

I rarely ban things, but no I would not let my daughter play football. I wouldn't let my son either.

[Jenny in Florida]

I didn't vote, because I couldn't see a way to do so and make my feelings about this clear.

 

I would not allow a child of mine of either gender to play tackle football. For me, it's not a boy-girl thing, but a general objection to the sport.

 

On the other hand, I can't think of any activity I would allow for my son and not for my daughter, or vice versa.

[Word Nerd]

I didn't vote, because I couldn't see a way to do so and make my feelings about this clear.

 

 

 

I think you made them clear just fine. I intentionally did not add qualifiers to the Yes or No because there's no way to cover all the possible answers. That's why polls allow for comments.

[sparrow]

I'm lenient on a lot of things that many parents here wouldn't allow, but as far as football, that's a "No" for a child of either gender in this family.

 

I have a friend whose son plays. He's had multiple concussions and surgery on his knee and hand. He just turned 17 this past week. So. not. worth. it.

[bettyandbob]

If I'd let ds do it then I'd let dd do it. To me it's not about whether or not boys and girls can play together, it's about the brain injury aspect that is an issue for anyone.

 

dd mentioned some girls at her school trying out for wresting. I told her I thought that was a pointless endeavor because in that sport there is no way for a woman to compete because it's based on body weight and men and can more easily have very high muscle to fat ratios compared to women. As a result, in wrestling a female would never be able to compete against a male with the same muscle strength.

 

There have been girls on the football team at our local high school. Kicker is a popular position for females to try (cross over from soccer). However, a couple years ago we had a female on the defensive line. She was over 6 feet tall and broader than my son who kept being asked to come out for football by the coaches based on his size (they kept stopping him in the hall between classes and had never actually seen him play anything).

[Word Nerd]

Never mind! :)

[Veritaserum]

If my daughter wanted to play and my husband and I approved of our child playing football, I would encourage her to try out. I would definitely not expect her to be treated differently. I would expect regular play.

 

My oldest daughter did want to play football a few years ago. She played in the city-wide community league. It was flag football for her age group. She was the only girl, but she had a great time.

[Word Nerd]

My oldest daughter did want to play football a few years ago. She played in the city-wide community league. It was flag football for her age group. She was the only girl, but she had a great time.

 

I wish flag football were an option here.

[garddwr]

I have mixed feelings on this issue. On the one hand, I really don't want any of my children to play football--too much potential for injury. I agree with Regentrude that I prefer to keep their brains in full operating condition. I've seen MRI images of the cumulative results of all those impacts a football player sustains, and it's not pretty. On the other hand, I probably would have loved to play tackle football at that age...

 

If actually faced with the decision, I think safety concerns would win out.

 

http://www.futurity.org/health-medicine/head-hits-in-football-alter-teen-brain/