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Have we seen the last of youth tackle football in California?
If a number of members of the state legislature have their way, it’s certainly possible.
A bill banning tackle football for kids under 12 years old advanced out of committee according to a report from FootballScoop.
California Assemblymen Looking To Ban Youth Tackle Football
Kevin McCarty, a Democrat out of Sacramento, introduced assembly bill 734, which seeks to ban tackle football for 6-year-olds beginning in 2025, for kids under 10 starting in 2027, and for 10- and 11-year-olds beginning in 2029.
It would not have an affect on high school or junior high football. Though state law limits California high school and youth teams to two full-contact practices per week .
McCarthy suggests that flag football provides the same opportunity while protecting the brain health of young athletes.
“Flag football is an alternative that is safer for youth and can still give them the opportunity to learn the skills to be successful at tackle football later in life,” he said. “The 2023 NFL Pro Bowl was a flag football game for the safety of the players. Why can’t we have that for our youth? AB 734 will help protect kids and nurture their brain development, and not put them in a situation that’s proven to cause irreparable harm.”
The bill advanced out of committee via a 5-2 vote. The California State Assembly, the state’s version of the House of Representatives, will now hear the bill. It must then pass through the 80-member assembly and 40-memeber senate before reaching the desk of governor Gavin Newsome.
Opponents of the bill, such as republican Tom Lackey, claim that flag football is not a suitable alternative.
“In communities that I grew up in and that I currently represent, tackle football is not merely an American pastime. It’s a central occurrence that ties close-knit communities together and integrates the surrounding areas,” Lackey said according to the Washington Post. “The parents and coaches involved in these sports love the children participating in them…I trust them to know what is in the best interests of their children.”
FootballScoop reports that high school football participation fell 13% in California over the last decade. That’s just over the 10% national average.