[InChiefsHeaven]

In my case, I played from 5th grade to 10th. I stopped because...well...I was not very good. I loved the sport, got my bell rung many times, jacked up my knee a little...and I don't regret a minute of it. I think my example is not everyone's though. At the end of the day, you have to decide if the benefits outweigh the detractions. My son played from 8 to 15, was a much better player than I was by far, but stopped by his 10th grade year. Of course, he went on to Rugby and MMA (but he never did a fight, just wound up doing the training) and he got hurt alot. But he survived and as of now is not showing any issues.

I don't know. I love the sport and what I learned from it, and at the age of 45 I have no regrets. But lets face it, I didn't have near the exposure as the guys in college and the NFL...but that's the point. Most kids won't play high school let alone college and professionally...I think not allowing your kid to play is a mistake based on my own experience, but everyone has to make their own call.