Dear Editor:
I’m writing to the BHS parents with children participating in the off-season conditioning program for football. Are you aware of the goals and expectations your child is required to meet? It’s being strongly promoted that they are to lift amounts of weight that risk their health.
My son started complaining of pain in his lower abdomen. Our family physician Dr. Linda Norrell examined him and when he explained the amount of weight he was lifting, she was shocked and insisted he not participate for two months in regard of damage to the abdominal wall (pre-hernia. She explained to him the amount of weight he was lifting can be harmful of permanently interrupting the growth stages and/or damaging joints, back and causing hernias, etc.)
I spoke with a personal trainer at Genesys Fitness about his conditioning class. He agreed when reading this statement, ‘weight training should be supervised personally by an instructor educated in the special needs of adolescents, because the skeleton isn’t mature until the early 20’s. Too much weight can stress the joints and ligaments and may separate growth plates of damaged joints in other ways.?
P.O.H Medical physical therapist Kevin Walsh was familar with Brandon’s conditioning for football, and deemed their program, ‘old school.? Although he agrees with weightlifting at this age, he stresses technique is crucial.
I also did some of my own reading and found this on ‘Fitness, Not Superhero? by Dr. Brehm-Curtis. It says, ‘teens should train for the right reasons. Middle and high school students train to increase their strength and improve physical fitness, body composition and sports performance while reducing their injury risk. They should not aim to bulk up by trying to lift heavy weights.?
I have spoken with school staff. We feel their motives, expectations and demands for football are putting the athletes at risk. The kids who play football should not feel threatened if they can’t meet coaches? expectations. Kids at this age want to impress coaches and friends, so the ego is reacting. My husband and I believe in conditioning for sports, but safety should come first. We would like dead lifting to be eliminated and make sure proper technique is being seriously supervised. We believe to have a successful football program you need full participation and teamwork. By putting too high expectations on them only discourages athletes.
I’d like to thank Dr. Linda Norrell, Kevin Walsh, POH Medical, Genesys Fitness and others who wish to remain off the record for their time and support.
Parents, I know you’re worried about your jobs and the economy and you’re probably thinking you don’t need to add to your stress, but I’m asking you to make a difference for the safety of our kids. Please get involved, call school board or superintendent about this subject.
Attend the school board meeting at 6:30 p.m., April 20 at the Brandon Fletcher Intermediate School.
Judy Darling
Brandon Parent