The problem is that like many new 'laws' these days, it is NOT driven by 'safety and concern' it is a lawsuit-driven piece of legislation to avoid future lawsuits. Thus rampant hypocrisy. Read further into the mandate and it's like Monty Python's 'lower peg' skit. Apparently, between 10-12, you cannot head the ball in practice, only in games. Ridiculous. Because if you don't know HOW to head a ball, then you stand a rip-roaring chance of hurting yourself. Of course, when you have 'doctors' making observations such as these
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Besides, he says other sports don’t often get to use both hands and feet with balls.
“In basketball you can’t run up to people to start kicking the ball around,” Lodge says>>
then you are dealing with a lack of understanding. American Football allows you to use your whole body to try and 'win' a ball. Baseball allows players to 'slide' into each other at the bag. Basketball sees plenty of close-contact/elbows and arms, as well as running the risk of a 90 mph ball carrying serious heft crashing into any part of your body. Of all the major sports, football actually has the least collisions.
IF they were interested in safety, what they would do is tell you to actively discourage going for 50/50 balls/coach kids not to until they're over 10. I think that would even be silly personally, but again, I don't think they are altruists. I'm also getting sick and tired of people refusing to accept personal responsibility for their actions.