Importance Of Concussions In Sports

“They found that four types of soccer headgear provided no measurable protection at ball speeds of 20 and 26 mph, common in soccer heading” (“Healthline” 1). Kids under the age of 12 should be able to head the ball also, soccer is a contact sport and injuries occur often. Kids under the age of 14 are at a higher risk of getting a concussion then a highschool student is. Even thought it would decrease the number of concussions by a lot, soccer clubs should allow kids to head the ball again because later on in life if they play soccer, then they will not know how to head the ball, and even when people wear a hat when it is cold they have trouble heading the ball.
Kids under the age of 12 are not allowed to head the ball. If kids under the age of 12 head the ball in a soccer match then it is called a foul. The rule was introduced recently, about 5 years ago, but this was just in little kid soccer like
5 years of age and below because no one could kick it hard enough or high enough in the air to head the head of a player. Kids under the age of 12 should be able to head the ball so that they know how to head the ball in the future.
Most concussions are not caused by heading the ball but by physical contact. “About 52% of concussions in girls and 69% in boys were because of physical contact between players; in many cases, elbows and shoulders hitting the head” (“Soccer” 2). Most boy players are at a higher risk of getting a concussion because they are more physical than girls are. Plus the fact that girls have weak neck muscles would cause them to be at a higher risk of getting a concussion, were boys really do not get concussions from heading the ball.
Kids need to start heading the ball at a young age, because if they do not then they will not develop strong neck muscle which will keep at the same chance of getting concussions and the chance of getting head injury will become large as time passes. They should be able to head the ball at a young age so that they develop the needed neck muscle and that way they will be at a lower chance of getting a concussion when they are older.
Kids under the age of 12 should be able to head the ball in a game, because later in life they will not know how to head the ball. “According to CNN Wire, most concussions were caused by physical contact with other players rather than heading, or hitting the ball off the head” (“Young Soccer” 1). In other words, most concussions are not caused by heading the ball, but physical contact is the leading way that someone gets a concussion. This shows that wearing headgear would not really decrease the rate that people get concussions. For example, “About 52% of concussions in girls and 69% in boys were because of physical contact between players -- in many cases, elbows and shoulders hitting the head”(“Young Soccer” 2).This matters because this shows that physical contact such as elbow to head are the leading cause of concussions. As a result, the need for wearing headgear and making kids under the age of 12 not head the ball is not needed due to leading rate of concussions being physical contact.
Headgear in soccer is allowed but not many of the player of play soccer where them. “In the past year, sports organizations have said they would not ban the headgear but would not endorse it, either” (“Protective headgear” 1). Basically, in the past few years sports teams would allow players to wear the headgear but would not force them to wear the headgear. This is influenced by the rising numbers of concussions in soccer in the recent years. Plus, “The foam-filled headbands, which are about 1 1/2 inches wide, weight 1.4 ounces and cost $25-$30 (Soccer headgear).” This shows that the price is a reasonable price but might cause new people that want to play the sport to not play it. Which would cause less interest in the sport. As a result of trying to get people to wear headgear in soccer nearly no professional player has worn one, unless they have had previous concussions.
Some might believe that most concussions are caused by heading the ball.
However, the leading cause of concussions are by head to body contact like an elbow or shoulder not by heading the ball. About 52% of concussions in girls and 69% in boys are caused by physical contact such as elbows and shoulders by hitting the head (Young soccer 2). In other words most concussions are caused by physical contact with other players. Concussions are not caused by heading the ball but by physical contact.
Some may argue that Kids under the age of 14 are at a higher risk of getting a concussion. However, if those kids were to never head the ball at that age then they would be at the same risk of getting a concussion when they are older like in high school. For example, “They found that four types of soccer headgear provided no measurable protection at ball speeds of 20 and 26 mph, common in soccer heading (Healthline 1)”. In other words, players should be allowed to head the ball and not be forced to wear headgear. Concussions are not caused by heading the ball but by physical
contact.
Though wearing headgear in soccer would decrease the number of concussions, clubs should allow young kids to head the ball because they will not know how to head the ball when they are in high school. When people wear hats when it is cold out they still have trouble heading the ball. Most concussions are not caused by heading the ball but by physical contact. Even if all soccer players wear headgear it would cause parents think that it is a very dangerous sport. If they make kids wear headgear while they are young then slowly less and less players will be playing soccer.