On this edition of Oregon On the Record, listeners heard a variety of perspectives on the subject of high school football safety from experts who worry about the risks, and also those who think the game is actually safer today than in years past.
For many people around the country, the state and our community, Friday night means one thing: High School football. And on such a night, thousands of high schoolers in Oregon will participate in America’s most popular sport on fields from Coos Bay to Bend. Friday night lights isn’t just a book or TV show, it’s a way of life.
But that way of life isn’t risk free. An exponential fear of concussions, has parents more questioning than ever about the safety and even value of high school football.
Voices on the program included:
· Liz Budd, a professor at the University of Oregon - who expressed concern about injury and peer pressure related to football
· Dr. Leslie Pelinka of PeaceHealth Pediatrics - who explained the mechanics and risks of concussions.
· Freshman football coach Andy High of Summit High School - who talked about the wide-ranging benefits of football,
· And Peter Weber and Kris Welch of the Oregon School Activities Association, which is tasked with making sure activities such as high school football are safe and accessible.
Parents throughout our community and state wrestle with injury and concussion concerns, and coaches and organizations wrestle with how to make it safer so that enough kids will play the sport and continue its availability.
