Comments on: Should Weight Limits Be Required in Youth Football?

By: djakup01

djakup01 — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:49:12 +0000

I think that weight alone is not a good way to determine restrictions. From my experience, in general, the larger players in the younger ages, are not all that athletic, but occasionally, there is a 125+lb 11 year old, that is really athletic. Having him in the defensive backfield, tackling 70lb kids at full speed, is a recipe for injury. I do not need any study to figure that out. Studies do not work for identifying the exception, they only identify the general rule. So I think in general the weight limits do not address the issue of safety. I think the safety issue comes up when their is a size and ability differential, and the players are in a position to exploit the differential, that problems arise. I think the big aggressive kid playing DE is the perfect thing, and probably prepares them very well for their future. But the really big aggressive kid playing monster D-back, spells injuries – whether it is fair or not. I think if there needs to be restrictions, then restrict who can play what position on both sides of the spectrum, and it is not just weight that matters, it is weight and ability.

It always strikes me as odd, that in hockey, baseball, basketball, there are tryouts, and teams of different levels are formed. Why is youth football different?

By: frisco

frisco — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 22:43:37 +0000

Pop Warner Football does not offer an unlimited weight class. I agree totally with this article. Youth football is designed for small kids who will never play in high school. When these boys finally have to play against kids their own age they don’t last long. I have seen several kids crushed after being an All Star for many years and not able to make their Freshman football team. Having a weight limit in youth football is the same as having a height limit in basketball – nobody wins.

Great posts – “is it fair to exclude the big kid so the little kid can artificially be allowed to succeed” – you hit it right on the head!

By: jkr

jkr — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 21:55:03 +0000

As a long time coach and the father of an older lighter and a younger heavier boy. I have to agree with the author. My 12 year old outweighs my 17 year old by sixty pounds and there is no comparisson on who would get hurt in a football standoff. That extreme version of the situation aside, the last three teams that I have coached have all had four to six older lighters who had trouble making minimum weight every week. Each of these players could easily take down the heaviest kids who had trouble making weight from the other end. I had a set of twins who were older lighter and the fiercest defensive linemen I had. My Pop Warner league didn’t have an unlimited division and my, the 11 year old, would have had to play in the Midget division with kids as old as 15. I’m sure you guys remember what happend when you turned 12 and 13. Your body experiences an excess of hormones, you get a little meaner, and more aggressive. 11 and even younger 12 year old kids get eaten alive in those situations. Thus I had him sit out a year until I found and unlimited division in a neighboring community.

By: heater

heater — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:19:44 +0000

First, there are very few 220 lb 13 year olds.

Second, is it fair to exclude the big kid so the little kid can artificially be allowed to succeed?

Third, football success is often based on size. A little kid’s chances of success at much lower than a big kid’s. It would be like saying a 13 year old who can throw a baseball 70 mph should not be allowed to pitch.

Fourth, there is a very real predjudice against big kids in all sports. For example, no matter how good they may be at basketball they are almost never allowed to play point guard or shooting guard. They always get stuck inside and are not allowed to develop the perimeter skills they need to succeed at a higher level. Same thing in baseball, big kids never get to play skill positions like shortstop no matter how good their hands and arm may be.

It time to stop favoring little kids and allow big kids to reach their potential.

By: admin

admin — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 11:37:42 +0000

We are in the process of studying this issue with our own survey but the results won’t be available until several years. The only scientific study published so far indicates that age and not weight is the primary injury factor. We need be scientific in our approach instead of relying on anecdotal testimony. For every experienced coach who says that the weight differential will lead to more injuries, you could find another who has the opposite opinion.

By: longtimefan

longtimefan — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 18:43:37 +0000

How does this justify a 105 lb 13 year old going up against a 220 13 year old?
I have been in the league for many years and this is an insurance issue. Yes bones and muscles mature differently at different ages, but it just common sense, a 105 lb running back is going to get injured by a 220 lb defensive lineman. There will be more injuries this season then any other because of this.