An Illinois legislator has put forth a proposal that would ban tackle football to those under 12 years old.
UW-La Crosse Head Coach Mike Schmidt says it was just a matter of time.
“I don’t know that we needed the governemnt to step in and regulate that,” Schmidt said. “It’s sad that it’s gotten to that point, that the coaches at all of thse youth levels have kind of taken it there.”
The law is named after former Chicago Bears safety Dave Duerson, who committed suicide. He was found to have the brain disease CTE.
Schmidt says if the idea behind the law spreads, it might not be a bad thing.
“And know that’s going to probaly help the numbers becasue kids develop and mature mature physically at difference stages.
“This is something that allows everybody to keep going with football and get up at the same playing level.”
Schmidt was part of a state championship team at Menominee High School, and the program didn’t start tackle football until eighth grade, so he’s experienced it in a way.
“I think overall, that getting them a little older to tackle is probably a postive thing because their body has change and they have an understanding of what’s going on and certianly gained some more mobility too,” Schmidt said.
Schmidt dismisses concerns that the product would be worse and the times have definitely changed since he was playing, which wasn’t all that long ago. He graduated from UW-L in 2008, after a four-year collegiate career in both football and baseball.
“Even when you see a big hit on the football, we all cringe, rather than say ‘Yeah!’ because we know what’s happening to that person maybe a little bit better,” Schmidt said. “Even now, for our guys, everybody has a great sense and base level of tackling and what’s expected of them to make sure that they stay safe.”
Schmidt says teaching form tackling at age 10 and 11 is difficult because kids are just starting to develop physically.
MAIN PHOTO: From left, Former Chicago Bears linebacker Otis Wilson, Tregg Duerson, Illinois state Rep. Carol Sente, D-Vernon Hills, and former Chicago Bears’ Mike Adamle pose for a photo after a news conference in support of the Dave Duerson Act to Prevent CTE Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018, in Chicago. The Dave Duerson Act is named for the Chicago Bears defensive back who was diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy after he killed himself at the age of 50, would ban organized tackle football for Illinois children younger than 12 years old. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)