Despite evidence of  damaging concussions and low enrollment, football and sports enthusiasts see no future impact on the game.   

Athletic director Augie Fontanetta noticed the decrease in participation but believes the decrease is not due only to fear of concussions.

“In the suburbs and across the state there has been a decline in football participation,” Fontanetta said, “but the decrease is a combination of parent’s concern over injury and the reality of specialization in sports.

“Specialization in sports has contributed to less kids playing football. Twenty five years ago if you were a football player and a baseball player you would play football in the fall and baseball in the spring. Now you can take baseball and play it 12 months a year. Football is the only sport where there is not a 12 month continuum for play.”

Though there is not one cause of the decrease in enrollment, participation in football at New Trier is down. According to Fontanetta, in 201l, 78 freshman tried out for football, this year only 54. A 35% decrease in five years.

“The numbers are down, but the decrease begins in junior high, it doesn’t necessarily begin in high school,” Fontanetta said.

Gordon Montgomery, the president of the Jr Trevian Youth Football organization, disagreed. Montgomery did not notice a trend of decreased enrollment in youth football.

“For example, the sixth graders could have very low numbers one year but the next class there could be more,” Montgomery said. “There are no noticeable drops or trends in enrollment.”

Since 2005, football and other high-impact sports are in the spotlight for their high risk of traumatic brain injury and how they handle these injuries. This recent concern and caution surrounding concussions comes after Dr. Bennett  Omalu discovered Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy or CTE. CTE is a disease of the brain found in many athletes with a history of repetitive brain trauma. CTE was previously believed only to be found in boxers until Dr. Omalu connected the disease to deceased professional football players. CTE was then later found in former high school and college athletes, according to Boston University studies.

The discovery caused a wave of procedure changes by the NFL, including new return-to-play guidelines, and more brain injury and concussion awareness.

Not only was the NFL forced to address head injury concerns, but youth and high school organizations were also shaken up by the new discovery, creating new safety procedures and campaigns.  USA football launched a new concussion awareness initiative called “Heads Up Football,” promoting safe techniques.

According to Fontanetta, the IHSA has adopted new procedures for dealing with injury concerning both returns to the field and the classroom.

“We are very diligent about dealing with injury,” Fontanetta said. “We would never let a kid with a torn ACL go out and play, and now it’s the same or even heightened concerned with head injuries.”

Kelly Trainor, a Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner and Concussion Program Coordinator at Illinois Bone and Joint, also stressed the importance of addressing head injuries.

“One of the most important measures is being able to recognize injuries and immediately remove the injured athlete from play,” Trainor said. “Youth who are removed from play because of concern of a concussion should never be allowed to return to play the same day.”

The frightening effects of head injury have only been found in collegiate, professional and very few high school athletes, and research is lacking of the long term effects of head injury on youth athletes.  But Dr. Omalu, who discovered CTE prevalence in professional football players, still warns that children under the age of 12 should not play any contact sport according to an article  from CBS New York.

Dr. Omalu also advised the NFL, “to admit wholeheartedly and openly and sincerely that playing football can damage your brain permanently. That is the truth.”

“Let people know, just like we do with smoking, that if you play this game, not just football, high-impact contact sports—-boxing, ice hockey, mixed martial arts, rugby— there is a risk of brain damage,” Dr. Omalu said to CBS New York.  “Let people make up their minds, but we shouldn’t let children play. It is our duty to protect our children from any risk whatsoever.”

Despite Dr. Omalu’s plea, junior Joey Artinian will continue to play, because he believe the positives from the game greatly outweigh the negatives.

“Playing football has brought me closer to my friends and my teammates,” Artinian said. “I’ve played football since I was a little kid and I love the game. The risks are minimal when playing the game right.”

Fontanetta mirrored Artinian sentiments, “I like to think that football is going to be around—the Friday night lights are a very attractive thing.”