Deaths Linked to Football Raise Concerns About Sport’s Risks for Young Players
Ask students: Why are collisions from football a risk even to those who don't suffer immediate injury, according to Chris Nowinski?
Fans and families will pack the bleachers in high school stadiums across the country as football season ramps up. But after at least seven deaths tied to the sport in August, including two teenagers who sustained brain injuries on the same day, questions are again being raised about the safety of the game. William Brangham discussed more with Chris Nowinski.
View the transcript of the story.
Discussion Questions
- Who was Cohen Craddock, and what caused his death?
- What actions did Craddock's father hope his son's former team would make in response to his son's death?
- Why are collisions from football a risk even to those who don't suffer immediate injury, according to Chris Nowinski?
- How could youth football be made more safe, according to Nowinski?
- Where could changes be made to football to reduce head impacts by half, according to Nowinski?
Focus Questions
How do you think football could be made more safe for young people to play? How do you think schools could better support the wellbeing of students that play sports?
Media literacy: Where could you go to find out more about the work being done to make high school sports safer?
Extension Activity
Can you think of ways to make the sports you play or watch safer? Watch the video below and discuss the ways simple innovations or inventions could reduce the harmful impacts of everyday sports and activities:
Republished with permission from PBS NewsHour Classroom.
PBS NewsHour Classroom helps teachers and students identify the who, what, where and why-it-matters of the major national and international news stories. The site combines the best of NewsHour's reliable, trustworthy news program with lesson plans developed specifically for... See More
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