SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — For some, football is a crucial part of growing up. For others, it represents too much risk for head injury. Now, state lawmakers are debating a proposal that would ban tackle football for kids under 12 years old.
Aaron Majors says playing football as a kid taught him much more than catching and running plays.
"Toughness," said Majors. "Not just mental toughness, but physical toughness as well."
Now he's the president and a coach for the Skyline Tigers youth football.
"This is where you get your first role models. This is where you learn discipline," said Majors. "This is where you learn to get along with people who normally you may not have talked to or have a relationship with."
Majors says teams already train players to avoid head trauma.
"The techniques that we teach in football, they've changed from the NFL down on protecting the head," said Majors. "And us teaching techniques that help kids play without their head being involved in the act of play."
But not everyone thinks the risk is worth the reward. In Sacramento, lawmakers are trying to address that risk. Wed. an assembly committee debated Assembly Bill 734, a proposal that would ban kids under 12 from playing tackle football.
"This is about savings kids and keeping kids safe," said Assemblyman Kevin McCarty. "And I think you focus on protection of human life and our future should always be at the forefront."
A 2021 CDC study says football players between the ages of six and 14 take about 378 head impacts every season. The study says they're also 23 times more likely to take serious head impacts, compared to their counterparts playing flag football.
But parents, coaches and kids showed up to take a stand against the bill.
"I've been team mom for every team. I have a seven-year-old here and we are strongly against AB 734," said Ashley Bertram, whose children play football.
Despite those words, the committee passed the bill forward to the full state assembly.
