To think sport comes with an element of danger (Rugby)

[DadKeepsCalm1]

In the news today, a group of 70 doctors have written to the government to make rugby a non contact sport at high school.

Although a rougher sport, it really is not that dangerous with the proper equipment and professional supervision.

Also how are we supposed to find new talent, if people are not trained to play proper rugby.

My dss is 16 and plays rugby for his school and its by far my favourite sport. I love watching him play and it would be ashame if the game was spoiled.

[TheFairyCaravan]

When DS2 got his injury at school his teacher thought he was ok and suggested he took 'a breather', it was the teacher from the other school who realised he was seriously hurt, they thought it involved his neck, and insisted on an ambulance being called.

I got to the school at the same time as the ambulance. I wasn't aware of the injury, or that the ambulance was for DS2, as it happened in the very late stages of the game and they knew I'd be on my way so decided not to call me. The PE teacher said to me "he's not badly hurt, nothing's broken because he doesn't feel sick!"

I am so glad that the other school's PE teacher was there and had some common sense.

[PirateSmile]

Most schools who offer rugby as a sport have teachers who are highly qualified and have usually played at a high level themselves. In my experience they are vastly better qualified than parent coaches at clubs.

[Mide7]

Fair enough Pirate, my experience is very different

[PirateSmile]

Some of the parent coaches at our local club have never actually played rugby.

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

I think it should be banned in schools - it is a high risk sport and in a state school situation neither the parent nor the child really have any choice in the matter.

There are plenty of other less dangerous sports and the argument on the TV that it "helps build manliness" doesn't really wash with me.

[PortobelloRoad]

Sport is great and of course there is an element of danger, but I also don't see the point in needlessly amping up any risk just for the sake of it. I'm biased as I know a family whos son was paralyzed playing rugby and obviously that's extreme but it made me view sports for my kids differently and I'm a bit paranoid about spinal stuff now.

Of course they could get seriously injured slipping in the bathroom or running track or playing football but imo it's about minimizing those risks.

We purposely sent our kids to a "football school" instead of a "rugby school" for this reason. It's just a game, it's not worth life limiting injuries over, it doesn't add enough to their lives to negate the risk for me personally.

[Tardigrade001]

I don't think it should be compulsory for everyone, it is just way too violent. There are plenty of other team sports that can be played at school. DS plays for a club and the school team because he has chosen to and enjoys it, but it's definitely not a sport for everyone. Rugby during PE is a bit pointless for him, because half of the others have no idea what they're doing; equally pointless for someone with no interest in rugby. It seems to me that a lot more injuries happen during PE than club matches.
Rugby only builds character if you participate in it wholeheartedly and enthusiastically, otherwise it is just torture.

[RB68]

For me it is the risk of "serious life changing injury" that makes me think we need to revisit how this is played in schools with general coaches rather than specialist. Club Coaches if properly trained will have far more training and specific training the key is the club taking responsibility on this aspect. As parents its important to know what your kids are getting into the coaches are properly qualified and the at safety is at the heart of things. My Father was a Club coach for u16 and had played since a small child to a reasonable level, you don't have to play at a high level to be experienced. I think the real issue here is around training of coaches, H&S stuff around injuries and the fact that this is children we are talking about with potential injuries that will last a life time and could be life changing. If you are telling me kids can't walk home in the dark but happy to chuck on a contact rugby field then I have to question risk perceptions. I think contact only till 13 or a specific weight then based on weight rather than age.

[notquiteruralbliss]

My DDs play rugby, but they have played since they were tiny, started contact when they already had the necessary skills, enjoy the contact and have good coaching. There's no way I would want them playing at school if they didn't want to play and / or have proper coaching. It would be far too dangerous.

[hmcAsWas]

I'm with the 70 doctors all the way

I was hoping that my Y7 ds would be crap at rugby but unfortunately he seems to have a bit of flair for it. I would much rather he didn't play it but rugby is a religion at his school

[jevoudrais]

www.wingsforlife.com/en/latest/my-biggest-barrier-is-my-ventilator-482/

Despite what happened, he doesn't think it should be banned from what I remember (heard him as a motivational speaker once).

[kua]

My DS (17) has played rugby from the age of 5. He has had one concussion (13) due to the ground being as rock hard as cement in a late spring game. It wasn't a bad tackle.

While at the hospital we met 7 others who had breaks/concussions at the same tournament. We all complained to the Council re the state of the pitch but never received a response.

We as a family love rugby but that did put a question in my mind checking the pitch prior to playing.

[eyebrowse]

I used to know someone who played rugby and the injuries were badges of honour with extra points for concussion...

rugby players probably less likely to damage their health in other ways e.g. fitter and also have a better social life which is good for health

[ocelot41]

The teenage son of my colleague snapped his neck playing rugby - is now paralysed for life. That's enough to scare the shit out of me. (And I have an All Blacks loving husband)

[Mide7]

To counter act all the horror stories, I know one person who is still playing, full contact and not vets, at nearly 70. Also know numerous people who have played into their 50s.

People who've played for 20 or 30 years and stopped because they had to work on a Saturday don't make the news.

[hmcAsWas]

You can get fit doing other sports ocelot, which don't risk spinal injury

[hmcAsWas]

Sorry, not ocelot I meant eyebrowse

[theycallmemellojello]

Of course there's a chance that you get through with no long term problems! Presumably most players don't have serious long term problems. But that doesn't mean it's a risk worth taking. I mean, smoking is pleasurable and not all smokers die of lung cancer...

[FankEweVeryMuch]

It's not something I'd given much thought to until today.

I had a cousin who sustained a massive brain injury at school when playing rugby. we would have been around 13-14 years old at the time (we were the same age). He was quite different in character following that but lead a normal life. Unfortunately he took his own life last year, no one knows why.

My sons play touch rugby as they are under 8. My eldest will start contact rugby needy September.

[WinnieTheW0rm]

Isn't it the case that the most dangerous sports, in terms of numbers and severity of injuries relative to number of participants, the top two are riding and gymnastics?

And the latter is widely taught in schools, including equipment work.

[Firstlawofholes]

I do love watching international rugby and it's a bit of a family occasion, but our DSs are in a private prep and both are somewhere in the C-E teams - fair enough, they certainly don't have the talent or interest to play at a higher level - but they've both come home having been seriously "knocked about" at matches this term. Their main sports teacher has even alerted me "gosh, DS1 took some heavy hits today". I do resent the fact that there is absolutely no way that we could opt out of this since neither DS has any remote interest!

[CaughtUpNearTimbuktu]

It's far safer now than it was in the day when my dh was playing schoolboy rugby. He sustained life long damage to his back due to poor coaching leading to a dangerous tackle. But he still loves the game and would hate to see it banned

[manicinsomniac]

I'm actually surprised to see people agreeing with the doctors. I get that they're medical professionals, it's just that everything else I've heard about this has treated the proposal as an absolute joke.

It came up in our school assembly today. As a wind up, the head announced it as if it might actually happen and the hall almost erupted. Some of the boys looked like they might cry!

I hate team sports with a passion, both watching and playing, but I still think this is ridiculous.

Of course there are lots of horror stories and concussions - but my DD has had 2 concussions from ... BALLET! Who's ever heard of a suggestion to ban ballet as a health and safety issue?! A young girl local to me a couple of years ago died after falling from a pony in a show jumping competition. But loads of children in the area are still passionate horse riders.

The worst injury we've had at school (and we play rugby from 7 and contact rugby from 9 or 10 I think, not actually sure when they start tackling.) was a compound fracture of the leg which came from tripping over a tree root. Not during games time. Accidents happen. You can't predict during which activity.

I can't recall a serious rugby injury in my 9 years at the school. And ambulance was called once as a boy couldn't move his knee after falling. But it turned out to be mainly shock and was a soft tissue injury.

Proper coaching, sense and equipment are important. Banning a sport many children love is not necessary, imo.

Pandas - if you have a child at a (traditional) prep school and you withdraw rugby, I'm not sure he will have a happy time of it. In rugby term our boys play almost every day and there are up to 2 matches a week. It would be like withdrawing your child from maths in terms of its effect on his day.

[Babyroobs]

My 13yr old ds suffered mild concussion last week when he tackled another child in rugby and that rather large 13 year old fell on his head.

[tilder]

There is an awful lot of anecdotal evidence knocking around on here.

Does anyone have a link to statistics for injury?