COVID-19: Return to play -football
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Our core mission is enabling young people to benefit from participation in team sports and activities in a safe and structured environment. As we continue to fulfill that mission we must also help educate the public about the facts around head injuries and how today’s version of Pop Warner is a model for making youth football a safer and better experience than ever.

Some advocates and media reports have generated confusion and fear about youth football. Although research connecting football to long term brain injury is inconclusive and lacking scientific consensus, some are calling for the abolishment of youth tackle football because they believe it is the only way to keep kids safe. Proposed legislation in several states would ban the sport for children under 13/14; some look to ban tackle before 19.

This document offers Pop Warner’s perspective. Please refer to it when asked about Pop Warner’s positions. Please also remember that it’s important to treat everyone on both sides of the issue with respect. We may not agree on details but we all care about kids and should aim to have an honest, civil discussion about a sport we believe offers so much to those who love it.

Questions about CTE Research:
Pop Warner’s independent medical advisory committee of neurosurgeons, sports medicine physicians, pediatricians and scientists has led us to implement the most stringent player safety rules in the game. Our efforts to keep kids safer are driven by objective data. While opponents point to research that claims youth football can lead to CTE, the truth is no conclusive proof exists. Many of the nation’s leading medical researchers point out
that there is no proven connection between youth football and CTE.(1)(2) As parents, players, coaches and administrators, we need to know more and we encourage more advanced, unbiased research into this issue.

It’s a Different Game
Pop Warner football is safer today than at any point in our history, thanks to mandated coaching education, greater awareness of concussions, a changing culture inside the sport and the most stringent rules in the sport. As a nation we know more today than we did 10 years ago and that has led to a safer and better version of youth football. Tackle football is a physical game with inherent risk. We are working with great partners like USA Football on approaches to complement our own efforts to make it safer.

Legislation Banning Football
We do not agree that banning youth football is an appropriate response to concerns about player safety. Parents, not the government, should decide whether their child plays football or any other sport. For nearly 90 years millions of kids have played Pop Warner football. As adults, they point to valuable life lessons and great memories from their youth football experience. Pop Warner parents have the choice of tackle or flag football for their child. If they choose tackle they know that we have worked with our medical advisory committee and various partners to make the game safer than ever before through coaching education, stringent new rules and greater awareness around concussions.

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(1) Does CTE call for an end to youth tackle football? Despite press about a recent study, a link between hits to the head and CTE isn't clear-cut. More data and a risk-benefit analysis are needed. http://www.startribune.com/does-cte-call-for-an-end-to-youth-tacklefootball/473655913/

Forms:

absentee form.pdf
2021 id card template pwls inc.doc
2019 do and crime enrollment form.xls