Life expectancy has doubled in the past 200 years. New
discoveries over the decades have brought forth knowledge of potentially
harmful threats to our health, paving the way for medical advancements. DDT was
the most popular pesticide used during the 1940s until it was banned for
potentially causing tumors and birth defects. Asbestos was used in the
construction of wallboards and gas fireplaces for years. In the 1970s, it was
banned after it was discovered to be a carcinogen. In recent years, Monsanto, a
popular agrochemical corporation, has been spraying the herbicide, Roundup, on
its crops. In the past few years, it was discovered that the herbicide may
cause autism, cancer and heart disease. This danger has not been extinguished,
and it is not the only one.
Playing football has the potential to cause significant health problems. While high school administrators are aware of these problems, few are willing to address the issue.
The neurologist is noted for the discovery of CTE, a
degenerative disease that is commonly found in athletes who play football and
boxing.
Boxing was once at the forefront of the public’s attention,
with stars such as Muhammad Ali constantly in the limelight. Now, as more and
more dangers came out about a sport rendering the objective to cause
concussions, parents are less likely to encourage participation from their
children.
Yet, high school football, putting players at the same risk for CTE as boxing, continues to be a popular
choice for student athletes and fans.
My reporting class was asked to contact high school
principals and school board presidents from across the state of Ohio to learn
their opinions on Dr. Omalu’s recommendation that students not participate in
football.
I contacted eight high schools in Cincinnati, yet only one
principal agreed to an interview.
The principals at James N. Gamble Montessori
High School, Aiken High School, Shroder Paideia High School, and Clark Montessori High School never responded to my multiple emails or public records requests.
Jeff Brokamp, principal of Walnut Hills High School, said that while this is a topic that he
himself is “gathering facts on” he is “not yet ready to articulate” his views.
School Board President Ericka Copeland-Dansby did not respond to my five emails.
I made multiple attempts to contact Charlene Myers, principal of Riverview East Academy. It was not until I told her that I was going to report that she gave no response that she finally answered. She said she had been out of the office for two and a half weeks, so, "you can imagine this is not a priority."
Principal Dean Nicholas of Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy, a private school, was the only one who agreed to an interview.
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Principal Dean Nicholas
Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy |
“Football is a big part of high school culture, and that’s a
great thing…but at the same time, I worry that can also give us cultural
blinders,” Nicholas said.
Each week, millions nationwide flock to their respective
local stadiums for the Friday night lights.
However, numbers for his school’s youth football team were
so low that this is the first year that they were not able to have a team.
For this reason, his athletic department is conversing about
how to make the game safer for players.
Nicholas said that his institution follows Cincinnati's concussion protocol and spends many dollars to
buy the best equipment for players. He said that his athletic department and
trainers “do everything that is possible from a physiology and medical
perspective” to avoid the risk of concussions.
He told me that the football coaches are looking at a new
tackle strategy that teaches players to keep their head to the side instead of “using
it as a weapon”.
Nicholas agreed that he believes the low participation is
due to parental concern for their children’s safety.
He also said this is the first time ever that his school had
more students playing soccer than football.
While Nicholas believes the game may shift to the players
having stronger equipment, he does not believe it will cease to exist as a
contact sport.
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This project taught me that often times, the most controversial issues are the ones that need to be discussed most. The difficulty, however, is that few actually want to have that discussion. I spent three weeks trying to get a hold of principals across the city before one agreed to an interview. I did find it to be very surprising that the only principal who agreed to an interview was the principal of a private high school.
Through my interview, I learned how difficult it is to change the public's mind about something they love, even with the known safety concerns involved. When it comes to Friday night lights, the bright side is that at least small changes are being done to increase safety. If these small changes happen nationwide, the ripple effect may produce something more significant in time.
