Benefits, health risk of high school football debate reignites

The high school football world mourned the loss of three players in the last week and the the continued escalation of head injuries have again cast a long shadow over the sport.

Tom Cutinella, a 16-year-old, collapsed and subsequently died after a blocking collision during a game between Shoreham-Wading River High School and Elwood-John H. Glenn High School in Elwood, New York; 17-year-old Demario Harris Jr. was pronounced dead three days after collapsing during a game in Alabama. The official cause of death has not been immediately released but it is believed the teen suffered a brain aneurysm shortly after making a tackle for Charles Henderson High in Troy. That same Friday night, 17-year-old Isaiah Langston collapsed on the field during a warmup before playing for Rolesville High School in North Carolina.

The families of Harris and Langston have publicly stated that there is some concern that unknown, pre-existing health issues could be to blame for their loss.

The debate over health risks and the benefits of the sport reached PBS NewsHour’s Student Reporting Labs which came away with this report.

Share your thoughts: Get a free user name | Post on The Varsity Board