"They're so barbaric! Who would make their kids play violent sports?"

Have you heard that before? The far away cry of someone stuck on their high horse. The men and women who condemn organized sports for their "violence" and "destructive" morals. True; a certain amount of men and women die each year from injuries received during games, not to mention the much needed attention to football players heads after a concussion. Is it safer then to encourage our sons and daughters to abandon organized sports? I mean surely, the risk of them being seriously injured or even dead is worth it.


Well, yes and no; at least in this writers opinion. So here I go on my little soap box. (Hey, that's what these blogs are for right?)


Organized sports certainly seem violent, especially when one pays attention to the injuries and bodily damage sustained during the game; the alternative, however, is far worse.


Before I get into the numbers I would like to look at some of the alternatives to organized school activities. Let's be blunt... Jail. Gangs. Drugs. No, no... I'm not trying to sound daunting and anti-climatic, but it's true. Organized sports foster self-esteem, strong morals, a sense of accomplishment and community, not to mention all of the post educational benefits.


To be fair, all arguments have two sides. Sports can also create feelings of competitiveness which is easily taken too far. Certainly, we all know that jackass who can't seem to let his glory days go...


It is also worthwhile to mention that a large part of the benefits from organized sports come from the adults rather then the sport itself.


So, let's look at the numbers really quick. There are millions of children who play organized sports every year and to be honest only a handful suffer fatal injuries from the game. To be exact, 6.6 per million high school males and 14.5 per million college males as well as 1.2 per million high school females and 2.8 per million college females die from sports related injuries a year.


This is where my soapbox comes in - Parents.... Pay attention to your kids!! Serious and fatal injuries (although sometimes) are not hard to spot. There are significant changes when someone has suffered a brain injury, and I feel as though parents or coaches should not have a difficult time detecting these.... Even if we are going to consider fatalities due to heat stroke...doesn't it just take some common sense?


It's 98 degrees outside and John John from down the block has been playing in full clothes for hours now, no one has stopped to make sure he is getting some water to drink... and hell the kid is throwing up or pale!! Maybe someone should act on authority and get the kid inside?


How about concussions? One of the NFL's main concerns right now.... According to WebMD (one of my favorite sites) concussion symptoms include:

"Symptoms of a concussion include:

• Passing out.
• Not being able to remember what happened after the injury.
• Acting confused, asking the same question over and over, slurring words, or not being able to concentrate.
• Feeling lightheaded, seeing "stars," having blurry vision, or experiencing ringing in the ears.
• Not being able to stand or walk; or having coordination and balance problems.
• Feeling nauseous or throwing up.

Sometimes it can be hard to tell if a small child has a concussion. If your child has had a head injury, call your doctor for advice on what to do.

Occasionally a person who has a more serious concussion develops new symptoms over time and feels worse than he or she did before the injury. This is called post-concussive syndrome. If you have symptoms of post-concussive syndrome, call your doctor. Symptoms of post-concussive syndrome include:

• Changes in your ability to think, concentrate, or remember.
• Headaches or blurry vision.
• Changes in your sleep patterns, such as not being able to sleep or sleeping all the time.
• Changes in your personality such as becoming angry or anxious for no clear reason.
• Lack of interest in your usual activities.
• Changes in your sex drive.
• Dizziness, lightheadedness, or unsteadiness that makes standing or walking difficult."

While not all of these symptoms may be present at the time, if your kid is hit like hell during a game... Just pull them out....

It is our duty as parents to protect our children. Organized sports offer so many benefits for just the cost of attention. The alternative is your child looking some where else for an activity (and let's be honest.... hormonally raging teenagers don't always make the best choices).

Perhaps it is not the sport that is violent (people knocking each other around is a step up from watching hangings as a form of entertainment) and getting to know your child might not be the worst thing in the world.