High school football game ends after 9 players suffer head injuries

[Tennis]

High school football game ends after 9 players suffer head injuries

The coach of a Moncton high school football team said his team was forced to forfeit a game on Friday after several of his players suffered head injuries, resulting in at least four showing signs of concussion.

Marcel Metti, the coach of the École L'Odyssée Olympiens, said nine of his players suffered blows to the head during Friday's game in Moncton against Sackville's Tantramar Titans.

He said all players were taken to a hospital as a precaution. Four players showed serious symptoms of concussion, such as nausea and vomiting.

"We had to forfeit the game for players' safety and security," he told CBC News.

As of Sunday, he said those four players still had concussion symptoms.
How players became injured is unclear

Metti said he wouldn't comment on how the players became injured.

"I'm not going to get into that. It's part of the football game," he said.

However, he said he had some discussions about what took place with the referees and Titans' coaches on Friday.

The game was interrupted halfway through, with the Titans leading 35-0.
'They were outmatched,' says coach

Scott O'Neal, the coach of the Titans, said his team was playing football within the rules, and was not penalized for any wrongdoing.

He said if any players were injured, it was because their coaches failed to prepare them.

"They were outmatched, that's as simple as it was," he said. "That's how football is."

Concussions in youth should be taken seriously, expert says

The incident took place about a week after the District Scolaire Francophone Sud, of which École L'Odyssée is part, released its new concussion policy.

The policy stipulates that any player who has received a blow to the head during a game must not play again until they have a doctor's note confirming they have no concussion.

Normand Gionet, a professor emeritus of kinesiology at Université de Moncton, said concussions in youth should be taken very seriously because they can affect everything related to your thinking and the way you function.

He said some children have died after suffering multiple concussions.

Gionet said if a child suffers a head injury, they should be taken to the doctor, even if they're not showing symptoms right away because sometimes the effects can be delayed.

http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/n...tans-1.4355765

I'm not sure why this is still legal? There's plenty of other sports out there which are much more safer, not to mention healthier.

It's high time we banned it so that these horrific brain injuries can stop.

[Freighter]

You participate in sports at your own risk. Not sure why it should be banned if you participate willingly.

[Zethras]

http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/n...tans-1.4355765

I'm not sure why this is still legal? There's plenty of other sports out there which are much more safer, not to mention healthier.

It's high time we banned it so that these horrific brain injuries can stop.

Do you happen to drink or smoke Tennis? I promise this is on topic.

[LiiLoSNK]

What do you expect when you play against a team from Sackville.

[Raone]

You participate in sports at your own risk. Not sure why it should be banned if you participate willingly.

Cause teenagers are idiots and rarely thing of anything past whats currently happening to them at that moment (also think they are invincible and it won't happen to them). And adults/coaches/parents push them because there will always be another kid wait and willing to step into that players spot if that player is permanently injured.

If these were adults who actually think it would be different.

[Mormolyce]

How the hell do you wind up with 9 concussions in one game?

Also, doesn't American football involve helmets and padding? Or am I mixing up the various ball sports again?

[Radaney]

Metti said he wouldn't comment on how the players became injured.

"I'm not going to get into that. It's part of the football game," he said.




Nah I really think you should. 9 players in one game is fucking ludicrous.

[Tennis]

How the hell do you wind up with 9 concussions in one game?

Also, doesn't American football involve helmets and padding? Or am I mixing up the various ball sports again?

Helmets which go flying off with the savage tackles.

[death87]

http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/n...tans-1.4355765

I'm not sure why this is still legal? There's plenty of other sports out there which are much more safer, not to mention healthier.

It's high time we banned it so that these horrific brain injuries can stop.

It exists because school sports brings in money for the town and the school when they win games. It's why players/coaches always seem to be protected by the school and town when they're accused of bullying/rape/whatever.

[SerialPandaSnuggler]

Someone tripped and fell on the cement and got a head injury. Better ban the use of it.

[draynay]

poor coaching is dangerous in contact sports

[Seranthor]

Helmets which go flying off with the savage tackles.

Can we also ban hockey and rugby as well? Can we ban cars, smoking, drinking, sex and tennis? If not why not?

[Machismo]

If that many players are getting injured in the same way, then something was going on. Either one team was severely outmatched, and should not have been on the field, or the other team was headhunting. I've played against dirty teams, who were trying to hurt people, and I've been on a team that was simply way better than some of our opponents. Several people got hurt in both, but not nine of them, and certainly not all with head injuries.

[Auxora]

At the high school level I do think the concussions are having some effect on reducing numbers. Numbers are down for high schools as far as attendance and people signing up to play. The high school I went to even won a forfeit earlier this year because the other team didn't have enough players at a home game to field a team. Plus there has been an increase in popularity of other sports like soccer pulling players away.

But football definitely isn't going to be banned in the US. Football is just too ingrained in the US culture as part of life to get rid of. It's way too important especially in the southern states, and to schools and colleges. I'm pretty skeptical that anything can really be done to prevent the concussions though, since they happen inevitably during games from a quick hit or someone slamming their head on the ground when going down. If you banned football you'd pretty much have to ban every contact sport; wrestling, boxing, hockey, etc. would all have to go. Even soccer and basketball have plenty of elbows to the head and head butting. Heck I had a close relative get a concussion going down a water slide. There imo has to be balance between acceptance of some risk as part of living a good fun life, and being safe without living life in bubble wrap.

[Hexian]

Makes constant posts about obesity yet wants to ban sports.

Quite the convoluted message you are sending.

[xcitng]

Lets all be safe by posting 6 posts a day on a gaming forum for 5 years straight instead

[Freighter]

Exactly. Bring back fights to the death. Let's have old fashioned showdowns at high noon in every major city as well. Why have a second amendment if we're not going to use it to entertain the masses?

Why go to the extreme? Just because I think participation in sports are at your own will and at your own risk doesn't mean I think people should be allowed to fight to death. Stop misrepresenting what people say.

- - - Updated - - -

Helmets which go flying off with the savage tackles.

Don't they have that thing under your chin that makes it almost impossible to get off if you don't unlock it?

[Nihilist74]

There needs to be penalties for players who tackle by leading with there heads. I love american football and i don't want it to end due to excessive concussions. I know in college football there is a penalty for targeting a defenseless player which is an automatic ejection. Tackling by leading with your helmet should be done away with at least in all amateur forms of american football.

[noladrew]

There needs to be penalties for players who tackle by leading with there heads. I love american football and i don't want it to end due to excessive cuncussions.

There is....... Helmet to helmet contact is 100% a penalty. Concussions can be caused various other ways though, not sure if you realize that. The jarring from the hit alone can be strong enough to basically rattle the kids brain and cause a concussion, as well as when they hit the ground. I played football for over 10 years growing up and ended having full knee reconstruction in my senior year of high school. I wouldn't change it for anything. I learned a lot playing and made a lot of friends. Shit happens, its the risk you take playing the game.

More on point, if the teams were that mismatched, then perhaps those teams shouldnt be playing each other, or maybe like the one coach suggested, the shitty school had shitty coaches and their kids were not prepared (no pun intended on this forum). Not sure on the particulars in this situation, but schools are put into different divisions generally for a reason. You cant really blame any one person or group here. 9 concussions in one game is fucking absurd. Something like that is either from lots of dirty hits or a severe mismatch. If no penalties were called and just hard hits, then likely a mismatch in the teams.

[Stonecloak]

There needs to be penalties for players who tackle by leading with there heads. I love american football and i don't want it to end due to excessive concussions. I know in college football there is a penalty for targeting a defenseless player which is an automatic ejection. Tackling by leading with your helmet should be done away with at least in all amateur forms of american football.

There is an infraction for head first tackle. Well, in the NFL at least.