I’m not a big TV fan. Nothing gets my panties in a bunch more than repetitive, idiotic commercials. I mostly watch the news to stay informed. But even it’s inundated with irritating medical and pharmaceutical commercials. I tend to smile or block these out, since the medicines sound more dangerous than the conditions they supposedly cure. I do, however, have one pet peeve about some of the current medical hype. I believe the media warnings to not let kids play organized sports for fear of brain concussions is one-sided and uninformed.

            I’m not a medical doctor. Nor am I a parent of your child (if you say I am, I’ll deny it). So I’m not the one to give you advice on how to raise your kids. But I did play organized sports from Little League through college (football, Purdue University). I know the risks of playing sports firsthand. I also know the tremendous advantages. I’m grateful for everything sports taught me about life, the things I experienced while playing, and all the friends I made. Sports were a major part of my maturity into an adult, and the healthy habits I learned are still a big part of my life.

            But the tremendous advantages of a child playing sports are not part of the one-sided story we’re getting from the media. The medical profession can’t tell us what the long-term effects concussions have on Little League and high-school players. They’re only beginning their studies on pro football players. They’re basing their dire warnings on an infinitesimal study sample. Only 5.7% of high-school football players go on to compete in college. Only 1.8% of the college players reach the pros. Does your son have the talent to be one of the 0.1% of high-school players that makes it to the pros? Are the dangers of football really worth scaring the typical parent out of letting their child play sports?

According an October 31, 2013, article on ESPN.com by Tom Farrey titled: PREPS AT GREATER CONCUSSION RISK, high-school football players suffer 11.2 concussions per 10,000 athletic exposures (an exposure being a game or practice). This works out to one concussion per 893 games and practices. Let’s say the typical high-school season lasts three months. During a typical game week, players have three, maybe four, padded practices, plus the game (five athletic exposures at most). Twelve weeks of five exposures/week equals roughly sixty athletic exposures per season. Four seasons of sixty games and practices means approximately 240 athletic exposures in a high-school career. The simple math says a high-school player would have to play almost fifteen seasons before pushing the average concussion rate. Again, I feel much more study needs to be done before scaring kids away from football.

            If the media wants to paint the fair and full picture, why don’t they also cover the health risks of not letting your child play organized sports? The CDC and American Heart Association report that one-third of America’s children are overweight or obese. The effects of excessive weight are well-documented—heart disease, diabetes, stroke, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. Furthermore, a child that’s overweight is more likely to be overweight as an adult. These problems will follow them throughout their lifetime. Sports are an excellent solution to this health crisis. Sports are a fun way for children to learn the value of staying in shape. And these good health habits will stay with many throughout their lives.

            But these are only the physical benefits to playing sports. There are also the mental and maturity benefits. Sports teach important life lessons that’re essential to a happy adolescence and adulthood. They inspire self-confidence, hard work, persistence, and the forming of loyal bonds with close friends. Organized sports teach the value of team work, setting and reaching goals. They reduce the stress and frustrations of life by providing a productive, energetic release. Time spent playing sports is less time for getting in trouble. Sports provide a child with a sense of accomplishment, and belonging to a group. Kids learn the joys of a hard-fought victory, sportsmanship, and that a single loss isn’t the end of the world. Most of all, a child that plays sports will make many life-long friends—friends that often seem closer than family. And a child will carry these lessons forward through school and into adulthood, often making them more successful in the workplace and their adult relationships.

            So why is the media reporting so much about the dangers of concussions? Maybe they believe it’s their civic duty. Maybe it just makes an interesting story that will increase viewership. But if they’re going to report on the dangers of sports, particularly football, they should do a study of the success rate of student athletes throughout their lives versus those kids that didn’t play sports. Personally, I believe the advantages of playing organized sports far outweighs the risks of injury. You take a risk every morning when you step out of bed onto the banana peel of life.