A high school football player in New Jersey at Warren Hills Regional High School recently passed away after receiving multiple heavy hits during a game. The autopsy showed that Evan Murray had a lacerated spleen which caused internal bleeding. Does this injury warrant high schools taking a closer look at the safety of football?
An increase in reported deaths in high school football players has caused many to re-evaluate the safety of the game. Within the duration of the football season this fall; four football players have died nationwide. The rising amounts of injuries compared to prior years have caused uproar in the football community.
“Some people are focusing on ‘well this is just football.’ But I think any sort of sport that might have those sorts of injuries needs to be analyzed and make sure that you’re providing a safe and appropriate environment for our children to enjoy sports,” president of the Maplewood Richmond Heights School Board in Missouri, who canceled their football program, said.
Maplewood Richmond Heights High School in Missouri is taking side with many other schools in the area and canceling football. The increase in injuries has caused a decrease in interest in the sport. Rather than having their homecoming focused on football, they will be having a girl’s volleyball game, then a performance by band and guard, followed by boy’s soccer.
Most commonly, players suffer from head trauma which can lead to permanent brain damage. With great amounts of players getting injured, schools are having safety concerns.
“I think schools should keep football because it’s a big American sport. The athletes going into it should just know what their getting into, plus people really like watching it,” NHS sophomore Jen Uhl said.
In addition to Murray, the other deaths this season have been similar situations as the lacerated spleen, or head injuries. Kenney Bui from Seattle and Ben Hamm from Oklahoma both suffered from traumatic brain trauma. Tyrell Cameron from Louisiana got hit multiple times during a game, then in the fourth quarter broke his neck and hit his head, and died later that night after being in critical condition in the hospital.
In Cameron’s case, the school began pursuing ways to make the game safer for the rest of the players. Proper tackling is the most stressed technique taught to prevent injuries. “Heads Up” football is being encouraged; experts say that athletes should not tilt their heads down; therefore their chest hits the group before the head.
“We teach ‘Heads Up’ tackling, which is the right way to tackle. We also started using Guardians (an extra padded layer that hooks onto the outside of a helmet) in practice. Last year we had a few concussions just from practice and this year we’ve had no problems. I think as the sport evolves the equipment does too, and the district is good about supporting us. I don’t think the sport is going to die,” Newtown High School football coach Steve George said.
“I’d hate to see the board get rid of sports that involve so many kids. There are injuries, but you have to weigh the risks and positives. Sports are supposed to be fun positive experiences,” NHS school nurse Anne Dalton said.
Many others in the medical field agree that safety changes in the game should be encouraged, but football should be kept because of the enjoyment it brings to many high school students.
"There is a risk of injury, but there is no reason to get rid of football. It’s a sport, it teaches kids about responsibility and winning and losing. There’s a risk of injury in any sport you play,” NHS athletic trainer Sabrina Byrne said.
The recent deaths have caused a stir in the football community, but with more safety techniques many have hope that football can be continued to be enjoyed and played at the high school level.